To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor Nicola Pryer (no sub was available).

To receive declarations of interests from Members of the Panel in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

None received.

The Chairman informed everyone present that the meeting was being recorded and that the audio would be made available on the RBWM website.

The Chairman informed everyone present of the fire evacuation procedures and asked that all mobile phones were switched to silent during the meeting.

To note the Part I minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on Tuesday 21 March 2017.

RESOLVED Unanimously; That the Part I minutes of the meeting held on the 21 March 2017 were agreed as a correct record subject to the following point being added:

·      “Councillor Sharp stated that with regard to the vehicle charging points he felt it was a waste of time on residential roads and would never be used in this Borough.”

Martin Fry (MRF&A / City University) thanked the Energy Reduction Manager for forwarding him the presentation from the last meeting which he had passed on to an interested individual, Mr Burton.  Mr Burton had thanked Martin Fry, and the Panel, for sharing the information.

Opening remarks by the Chairman on the Panel’s role.

The Chairman informed everyone present that this evenings meeting was to catch up with the updates and look at the 2017/18 Sustainability Strategy Action Plan.

A verbal update by the Waste Strategy Manager (Naomi Markham).

The Chairman welcomed the Waste Strategy Manager, Naomi Markham, to the meeting and invited her to update the Panel. 

In response to queries raised at the last meeting the Waste Strategy Manager informed the Panel that a list of what could and could not be included in recycling bins had been included in the latest guide to recycling (at Councillor Yong’s request).  It was noted that with regard to stickers being included on the outside of recycling bins they were felt would be unsightly when outside residential properties but could possibly be used inside the bin lid as a trialled approach.  The Waste Strategy Manager explained that the stickers themselves were quite costly at approximately £1 per sticker compared to 12pence a leaflet but could possibly be used as a trialled approach in a reactive way e.g. if someone was not regularly recycling properly.  Councillor Yong requested that an additional trial took place in an area that had the do’s and don’t’s stickers used on the bins to see if the stickers had helped improve recycling in the area.  Councillor Yong re-iterated that she believed a sticker would help remind people about what they could and could not recycle rather than a leaflet and that she believed the long-term benefits of using stickers would be huge.  The Waste Strategy Manager explained that contamination was something her team were concentrating on and that she would ask her Manager whether a trial was possible.  Councillor Yong suggested that Bouldish Farm would be a good area to trial as it had a mix of properties.  The Waste Strategy Manager thanked Councillor Yong for her suggestion and agreed to ask the Councils contractor to see if this was an area of recycling concern.        

Councillor Sharp informed the Panel that when he had been in South Africa the person that had been house sitting his house had informed him that his bin had been taken away.  It was later returned full of grass with a blue label attached without a reason for the refusal.  The Panel was informed that Councillor Sharp had spent about an hour speaking to Naomi’s Manager explaining that whilst he fully accepted people put the wrong things in the wrong bins Veolia needed to make it clear why the bin was not being collected.  The Waste Strategy Manager agreed to follow this up with Veolia and stated that the refusal labels had been updated to include extra detail and would be used once the current supply had run out.  It was noted that the Council did not collect cut grass / garden waste in the usual rubbish bins as they were able to charge for it.  It was noted that residents of the Borough could either hire a green bin for £35 per annum, go to Stafferton Way or use a compost bin.      

The Waste Strategy Manager informed Members that with regard to the new textile collections the Council was still looking to get the cages installed onto the recycling vehicles  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

By the Energy Reduction Manager (Michael Potter).

The Energy Reduction Manager, Michael Potter, referred Members to pages 13-22 of the agenda and explained that the report provided an update and gave the Panel an overview of the progress being made to deliver the Panel’s energy and water reduction strategy. 

The key areas covered were noted as follows:

• Annual Plan 2016/17
• Town Hall water reduction project update
• Energy Switch to Save Scheme
• Building Management System, LED lighting phase 2 projects
• Schools RE:FIT programme
• Proposed work planned over the next period until the next Sustainability Panel.

In the ensuing discussion, the following points were noted:  

Ø  The Chairman congratulated the Energy Reduction Manager on the 67% reduction in water consumption at the Town Hall and explained that the Council needed to maintain this level.

Ø  Martin Fry (MRF&A / City University) asked for the number of people who had taken part in the Energy Switch to Save Scheme from Hurley.  Martin Fry went onto explain that if he could be provided with this figure by the Energy Reduction Manager he could help promote the next auction. 

Ø  The Chairman and Vice-Chair agreed that taking part in the October auction would be a good time as not only would it be going into winter then the Council would also know more about the proposed energy price caps at this point.

Ø  The Chairman informed the Panel that in her role as Ward Councillor for Belmont she had received a complaint from a driver about the new LED street lights (excessive brightness) that had recently been installed.  It was noted that the LED lights had since been dimmed slightly to help resolve the complaint. 

Ø  The Energy Reduction Manager explained that he would need to set a threshold regarding the level of interest of schools to see whether the Schools RE:FIT programme would be worthwhile proceeding with.

Ø  Martin Fry thanked the Energy Reduction Manager for his support with RE:FIT.

That work planned over the next period included:

o   LED lighting upgrade programming.

o   Building Management System upgrade programming.

o   Investigating the Schools RE:FIT project further including seeking initial interests from schools.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY; That the Sustainability Panelnoted the report, the progress made and comments on the proposed work plan over the next period as detailed in paragraph 11.18.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY; That the Sustainability Panel approved the 2017/18 Sustainability Strategy action plan.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY; That the Sustainability Panel agreed to the next Energy Switch to Save auction being held in October 2017.

The dates of future meetings are as follows (7pm start):

·         Monday 3 July 2017.

·         Monday 18 September 2017.

·         Monday 27 November 2017.

·         Tuesday 30 January 2018.

·         Thursday 8 March 2018.

·         Thursday 10 May 2018.

Future meeting dates were noted to be as follows:

• Monday 3 July 2017.
• Monday 18 September 2017.
• Monday 27 November 2017.
• Tuesday 30 January 2018.
• Thursday 8 March 2018.
• Thursday 10 May 2018.

The Energy Reduction Manager informed everyone present that the advice to homeowners on energy savings was no longer a service offered by the Council.  It was suggested that anyone asking for this service be signposted to the Energy Savings Trust.

The Chairman informed the Panel that the Council was looking at new screen savers for the screen downstairs which would include at least one highlighting the savings made by the solar panels.  It was hoped that the new screen savers would be in place by the end of next week.  The Chairman suggested that a rolling screen was needed downstairs to show visitors to the Town Hall not only the energy savings being made but what that equated to for the Council (e.g. the number of books that could be bought for the library, etc).  Councillor Sharp   stated that he felt given the amount of money that had been spent on the solar panels that not promoting their savings was a disgrace.  The Chairman agreed that the Council should be shouting good news louder, including any energy savings.