E.47/20
The Chairman advised that she
had agreed for one item of urgent business to be raised at this Committee meeting. The item related to the New Recycling Service
Update and was considered urgent in light of the associated time
constraints.
The Lead Member for Environment introduced the
report, outlining the problems that had been experienced in the
implementation of the Devon Aligned Service. It was therefore proposed that the new Aligned
Service should be implemented in a staged approach instead, with
new kit being delivered to households the week before the
change would be implemented. In terms of the roll-out, it was intended that
there would be a break during the Easter period.
During the discussion, Executive Members stated that
the informal meeting that they held last week with FCC
representatives had been useful. The
Chief Executive updated that further conversations had been had
with FCC during which they had confirmed that discussions on costs
were on-going and that the organisation would remove the standard
initial three month waiving of penalties and this would be for six
weeks instead.
It was confirmed that FCC representatives would be
attending the Overview & Scrutiny Panel meeting on 14 January
2021.
It was clarified that the anticipated loss of
£84,000, due to delay in implementation (recommendation 2
refers), would form part of the next claim to Central Government
for reimbursement of costs incurred due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
If the report recommendations were agreed, it was
confirmed that the changes to service would start in March 2021 and
residents would be informed of changes to their service and when it
applied to them. The Leader
informed that she had asked for this information to be sent to
second home owners’ primary residential address as well as
their second home address.
The Executive thanked all the officers involved who
had worked exceptionally hard under difficult
circumstances.
It was then:
RESOLVED
1.
That FCC’s proposal for a phased roll-out of
the new Recycling Service from March 8th 2021 has been considered
and approval be given to the proposal subject to evidence of
FCC’s improved performance to the agreed contracted
levels;
2.
That the additional costs of £84,000 that will
be incurred as a result of adopting a phased approach and the
mitigating actions underway to minimise the impact on the
Council’s budgetary position be noted; and
3.
That delegated authority be
given to the Executive Lead Member for Environment, in consultation
with the Director of Customer Service Delivery, to conduct a review
and to strengthen the performance monitoring,
governance, and oversight of the partnership
and contract.