The Lead Member for Environmental Services introduced the report that sought delegated authority to commence a new weekly waste and recycling service and requested the approval for delegated authority to extend the current contract with Veolia by nine months.

The Lead Member for Environmental Services informed that the current waste and recycling contract expired March 2019 and that we needed to procure a new contract for collections beyond then.  The administration were committed to continuing weekly collections and improving on the already excellent 90 percent resident satisfaction rating. 

There was volatility in the market at present due to global pressures and this was why we were requesting a 9 month extension to the current contract to give time to get a contract that improved upon the current service and also provided 40 percent savings and incentives for the Greenredeem recycling incentive scheme.

The Lead Member for Highways, Transport and Windsor informed that weekly waste collections was one of many examples of excellent services we provided our residents.  He informed that only about 30 percent of other local authorities provided weekly waste collection and that weekly collections must be kept for our residents especially those with younger or larger families. 

The Lead Member for Economic Development, Property, Communications and Deputy Finance asked if it was correct that the Royal Borough Conservatives were keeping weekly waste collection and the Greenredeem scheme.  The Lead Member for Environmental Services replied that this was correct and it was what our residents expected.

The Chairman said that the administration were guaranteeing weekly bin collections and there would be no change in service, as council tax payers they should expect to get their rubbish collected.

The Principal Member for Ascot Regeneration informed that a recent parish council survey had shown that 93 percent of their residents were satisfied with the service they received and that they wished it kept.  He asked that if the third runway at Heathrow was built would this impact the recycling contract and was informed that it would not as the Royal Borough used the facilities outside Oxford.

The Lead Member for Maidenhead Regeneration and Maidenhead, including School Improvement said that this was excellent news for our residents especially as across the country some authorities were looking to go to three weekly collections due to their financial position.  It was a tribute to the way we managed our finances.  With a satisfaction rating of 90 percent he was pleased that we were planning to keep the current level of service.  The Chairman replied that it was important and he did not wish to take this for granted.

The Lead Member for Planning and Health including Sustainability said that we were also planning on keeping a weekly waste food recycling that was used to create energy for homes.

The Lead Member for Environmental Services reported that he would be visiting the recycling centres and also planned further communication to our residents on recycling with the aim of increasing recycling rates.  

The Lead Member for Children’s Services mentioned that it was a great credit to the Royal Borough that we were not changing our services especially when you at what happened recently in Birmingham.  It was important to have weekly collections for young families for example the removal of nappies and larger families who may generate more waste.  She was pleased that the Greenredeem scheme was to be continued as this benefited our schools and the wider community.

The Lead Member for Culture and Communities said that she was pleased to see the planned 40 percent savings in the costs of the Greenredeem scheme.

The Lead Member for Finance reported that with regards to Greenredeem it was worth noting that there was an significant minority number of residents that used their points, for example he received 20 percent off the costs of dry cleaning.  There were monthly prize draws for those that donated their points and a number of various community groups benefited. 

Resolved unanimously: That Cabinet notes the report and:

i)     Delegates authority to the Managing Director, and Lead Member for Environmental Services (including Parking and Flooding), to commence procurement of a new weekly waste and recycling collection service, along with allied services: management of the transfer station; management of the Household Waste and Recycling Centre; marketing of recyclable materials; provision of new bins and cleansing of bring sites. In addition, the new contract will include a recycling incentive scheme.

ii)    Approves an extension of up to nine months to the current Veolia contract to allow current market uncertainty in recycling material prices to settle and delegates authority to agree the details of this extension to the Managing Director in consultation with the Lead Member for Environmental Services (including Parking and Flooding).

iii)   Approves an extension to the Greenredeem recycling incentive scheme contract so that this becomes coterminous with the current waste and recycling collection contract.