Agenda item

Pam Jones attended this meeting to update on the work that has taken place in Bath around the changes that are being made to Waste collections.

• Letters were included within the council tax bills that were sent out earlier this month.
• The number of contact enquiries from the public that have been made appears to have peaked in the first week and are now reducing.
• Eighty household visits have taken place and the issues around where bins will be located have been resolved.
• An approach has been agreed for 6000 properties within Bath to continue to receive weekly collections using 70 litre bins/bags.

Questions

Cllr Rob Appleyard – How were the public made aware that there were alternative receptacles available?

Response – All residents were told the option that had been selected for their property in the letter they received. If they contacted us to explain reasons why the default option was not right for them we have investigated and where appropriate offered alternatives.

If there are residents that feel they have not got the right option they can still contact us to discuss.

Action – Pam Jones will share the document that breaks down the data from visits that have taken place with residents.

Chris Roche – The Parade Gardens in Central Bath has recently seen litter strewn across the lawns, has this been a result of the level bin collections decreasing?

Response – It is not thought to be the case.

Action – Pam Jones will check if there has been any change made to the Parade Gardens collections.

Cllr Dine Romero – It appears that the residents have not been told openly about the option of a smaller bin being available. Was a criteria set out?

Response – The default position is that we are not offering a pick and mix offering and the 140 litre option is what our starting point has been. Where it is clear that an alternative option has to be offered we have worked on suitable solutions for the individuals.

The routes for collection of waste need to be as efficient as we can make them and the method of how waste is presented is key to this.

Cllr Ian Gilchrist – The discussions that have taken place between Michael Robertson and me have been helpful.

The ‘waste doctor’ visits that have taken place appear to be hardwired and there needs to be some adjustment on the criteria that is being used.

Response – The visits for the whole of B&NES has totalled 137. We have used mapping tools where appropriate to do so to help in speeding up our responses.

Cllr Peter Turner – The discussion that took place on the Alfred Street trial included points about the design of the handles on the bags, identification of whose bags are whose and Councillors being provided with a hotline number to deal with resident’s issues.

Response – This feedback has been received.

George Samios – The idea was previously put forward of holding workshops is schools on dealing with waste; this would provide greater opportunity to reach the parents.  As a Head teacher in Bath I have seen no offer of this kind made?

Response – All of the schools in B&NES have been written to and the offer to hold roadshows was made. A schedule of events has been set up.

Action – Pam Jones will follow up with George on this offer.

Tim Newark – Can the size of the weekly bags be confirmed.

Response – Weekly collections will use a 70 litre bag which is smaller than those for fortnightly collections. This has to be trialled as we still need to reduce costs of collections weather these are weekly or fortnightly. A push in the increased levels of recycling is the aim for all collection routes.

Cllr Shaun Stephenson-McGall – How will collection crews cope with the manoeuvring of the bins where parked vehicles leave only minimal gaps?

Response – Crews will be asked to identify issues if they arise, the selection of a narrower design of bin was chosen to help crews efficiently load.

Jeremy Boss – In Widcombe the request of a whole road for change to be made was declined as the criteria’s was not met. Is the whole road wrong?

Response – Some of the decisions that have been made are not popular. The savings that need to made need to be met has to see better efficiency in our collections and the manner in which waste is contained. If the residents feel that they have not been heard correctly then they can contact us again and we will respond to this.

Virginia Williamson – There are people that are only putting out very small quantities of waste and have no need for a large storage bin/bag.

Action – Pam Jones will look to see if anything can be done to address this point.

Cllr Rob Appleyard – If a resident is achieving the acceptable level of recycling would a collect be made if they use anything other than the given bin/bag?

There needs to be incentives to drive up recycling and consideration needs to be given to the impact changes could have on fly tipping.

Response – No. The manner in which waste is contained in the bins/bags provided need to deter animals from breaking open rubbish that is awaiting collection.

Cllr Lin Patterson explained that she is pleased with the changes that are being made; she has friends in Newcastle that have been doing this without problems for a number of years.