Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods)

This report provides an update on progress in delivering waste, recycling, and street cleansing services. Describing how the activity contributes to the climate change agenda and key priorities for future.

The Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) that provided an update on progress in delivering waste, recycling, and street cleansing services, describing how the activity contributed to the climate change agenda and key priorities for future.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing an introduction and background;

·         Information on a variety of activities, inducing the waste strategy; recycling contamination rates; food waste, textiles and fly-tipping;

·         Key updates in relation to Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) activity;

·         Key updates in relation to the Waste Collection and Street Cleansing contract;

·         Information in relation to the investment in the Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Services;

·         Information on a range of Waste and Recycling Campaigns and Initiatives, including case studies; and

·         Listing the priorities identified for 2023/24.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

·         Waste and Recycling Centres should be open to all to dispose of waste and to reduce incidents of flytipping;

·         Providing an example of inconsistent messaging provided by staff employed at Household Waste and Recycling Centres;

·         More compliance and enforcement activity was required to address flytipping and influence behaviour change;

·         Communication between officers within the compliance team with both residents and Members needed to be improved;

·         More information was sought in regard to the investment in alleyways;

·         More information was sought as to where the 200 new litter bins would be situated;

·         The call for attention to those areas that were not designated as formal district centres but were well used in neighbourhoods;

·         How many full time contract monitoring officers were employed:

·         Questioning the compliance rate figures provided in relation to contract monitoring;

·         Recognising the significant contribution local volunteers played in keeping the city tidy and thanking the Keep Manchester Tidy team for their continued support;   

·         Had consideration been given to underground waste storage;

·         The need to ensure cycle lanes were cleaned regularly to ensure they were safe for all users; and

·         More needed to be done to address the issues related to commercial waste, particularly that experienced in the city centre.

The Strategic Lead, Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing noted the issues reported by the Member following his recent experience when attending a Household Waste and Recycling Centre. She stated that she would raise the issue with SUEZ. She stated that it was important to reiterate that these centres were for household waste only and businesses were required to have their own waste management arrangements. In response to the comments raised in relation to compliance and enforcement activity she stated that she would relay the comments from the Committee back to the relevant strategic lead with responsibility for this activity, adding that enforcement and compliance activity was reported to the Communities and Equalities Scrutiny Committee. She added that both services did work closely together and added that prosecutions for flytipping were publicised.

In response to the point raised regarding underground waste storage, the Strategic Lead, Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing advised that consideration had been given to this however this would be very costly to deliver in Manchester due to all of what was currently underground, however opportunities to think creatively were being considered in areas of new developments.

The Strategic Lead, Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing noted the comment made in regard to commercial waste. She advised that the lessons of the previous commercial waste project that had been delivered would be reviewed to take this forward. She further commented that good practice from other cities would be reviewed to inform this approach also. She advised that Members would be kept informed of this activity.

The Strategic Lead, Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing informed the Members that there were two full time contract monitoring officers employed. Noting the comments from the Committee she stated that Members could accompany officers when undertaking these inspections. If Members were interested in taking up this offer to contact her and these would be arranged.

The Strategic Lead, Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing advised that initially the new litter bins would be deployed within the city centre but would then be rolled out though wards and district centres. She advised that potential locations would be visited and assessed to ensure bins were placed at appropriate sites. In response to specific issues raised regarding the Fallowfield ward she stated that she would discuss this with the Members outside of the meeting with a view to addressing the concerns they had.

The Contract Manager (Waste) described that the approach to alleyways was twofold, namely using compliance action where appropriate through the Neighbourhood Teams to take action and influence behaviour change, and secondly through a review of the Biffa inspection model to ensure this was fit for purpose.

The Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods stated that she continued to raise the concerns and issues experienced by Members at meetings at a Greater Manchester level. She further advised that Biffa were held to account and were challenged. She advised Members that the leaf sweeping schedule had been circulated for information. She acknowledged that resident behaviour change in relation to waste and recycling was essential, and she further paid tribute to all residents who were proactive in their neighbourhoods on this issue. She further paid tribute to the Keep Manchester Tidy Project Officer for her continued commitment and enthusiasm.

The Chair stated that she welcomed the consideration of textiles in the report. She further advised that she would meet with the Executive Member for Environment and Transport to discuss and agree the scope of reports to schedule into the Committee’s Work Programme to pick up on the themes discussed during the meeting.

Decision

To note the report.