Appendix C – Hub Committee Minute Extract: 12 July 2022 Meeting

HC 30/22       URGENT BUSINESS – WASTE AND RECYCLING SERVICES CONTRACT UPDATE

As highlighted above (Minute HC 22/22 above refers), Members were in receipt of an urgent exempt report that provided an update on the status of the Waste and Recycling Services Contract.

Following a lengthy debate during which widespread support was expressed for the proposed way forward and the strictly confidential nature of the contents of the urgent report was reinforced, Members expressed a wish to re-admit the public and press to the meeting in advance of the vote on the motion being taken.

As a result, it was then:

RESOLVED

That the public and press be re-admitted to the meeting.

It was then RESOLVED that:

1.      Council be RECOMMENDED to:

a)    delegate authority to the Head of Paid Service (Chief Executive) and Director of Customer Services Delivery, in consultation with the Leader and Lead Member for waste and recycling services, to conclude subject to contract and without prejudice negotiations with the Council’s waste contractor, FCC Environment Limited (FCC), for the continuation of the waste collection, recycling and cleansing services should South Hams and FCC agree to a mutual partial termination with a further report being brought to Council before 3 October 2022 for Council to agree the final terms.

b)    transfer the value of the 2021/22 deductions to the waste management earmarked reserve (as part of the closure of the 2021/22 accounts), to contribute to the new contracted costs as set out in section 5 of the presented report.

c)    increase the capital budget for Hayedown depot (statutory compulsory improvements), with the increase being financed from either the Waste Management Earmarked Reserve or internal borrowing as set out in Section 5 of the presented report.

d)    approve a capital budget for a new vehicle as set out in Section 5 of the presented report, to be financed either from the Waste Management Earmarked Reserve or internal borrowing.

2.    it be noted that the Section 151 Officer will bring a further report to the Hub Committee in September 2022 on the updated ongoing revenue costs of delivering the service and the impact on the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy; and

3.    the intention for the Head of Paid Service to make any necessary organisational changes to the joint staffing structure, to recognise the changes in the provision of waste collection, recycling and cleansing services in the Councils be noted.