Issue - meetings

To consider satisfaction rates for the Council’s waste services.

A report was presented to the Committee on the recycling and waste collections detailing the percentage of missed bins reported and collected within 24 hours in Spelthorne.  This information is not required to be reported nationally, however following a number of Freedom of Information requests the results were published in the national media which showed Spelthorne’s results to be significantly lower than many other authorities at 16 bins per 1000, a percentage of less than 1%. 

There is a reduction in the types of plastic being recycled as there is no market for them with resultant higher costs for doing so. 

Jackie Taylor, Group Head of Neighbourhood Services, advised that we are working with Surrey County Council as part of their campaigns and also independently to target areas to reduce waste by making people aware of the benefits of recycling.

The Committee asked a number of questions relating to recycling and rejection rates at the recycling centre.  They were advised that the rejection rate is quite low (no load was rejected in the last six weeks) and in the event of a rejected load, the operators are required to say which vehicle went in and identify the location of the contaminated part of the load.  The area where the waste was collected can then be identified and residents advised of the problem, shown images, and offered assistance to understand what is recyclable. 

The need to reduce residual household waste was emphasised.  Residents are permitted to put additional items alongside their bin on recycling week but not for the household waste. 

The separate collection of food waste from blocks of flats was regarded as a more problematic area.  Some flats are suited to this and residents can be reluctant to participate as they have no control over the waste.  A newly appointed recycling officer who previously worked on the introduction of food waste with Surrey will be working with residents on this issue.

Resolved to note the report.