Report of the Head of Integrated Commissioning and Procurement, Strategic Lead – Resources and Programmes and Sustainability Project Manager, Zero Carbon

This report provides an update on work being undertaken across the Council on Single Use Plastics (SUPs) as part of the action under Workstream 3 of the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan 2020-25.

The Committee considered the report of Head of Integrated Commissioning and Procurement; Strategic Lead – Resources and Programmes and the Sustainability Project Manager, Zero Carbon that provided an update on work being undertaken across the Council on Single Use Plastics (SUPs) as part of the action under Workstream 3 of the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan 2020-25.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing a background to this work;

·         updates on actions taken by the Council to deliver its pledge to eradicate the use of avoidable Single Use Plastics by the end of 2024;

·         Information on the national ban on SUPs introduced by Government; and

·         Providing an update on the communications and engagement work undertaken to reduce SUPs use within the Council and with businesses and residents across the city.

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

·         Who had determined what was classed as avoidable or unavoidable plastic and was there a comprehensive list of what fell into which category;

·         Welcoming the joint work on this issue across Greater Manchester;

·         Lamenting the plans to deliver a circular economy had been rolled back by the government;

·         Welcoming the Refill campaign and called for an increase in the number of Refill points to be delivered in public spaces;  

·         What monitoring was undertaken to ensure that all MCC Markets and Parks meet the Council's Single Use Plastic Free Pledge; and

·         Would there be monitoring of business occupying units in the Wythenshawe Civic Centre to ensure that they were complying with the action to reducing single use plastics from across the Council's operational estates.

The Sustainability Project Manager stated that a report on how this work had been developed was reported to the Committee at the meeting of 8 December 2022 and she made reference to the Council working group that had contributed to the Council’s SUPs Action Plan. She stated that a SUP Action Plan that was described within the report would be agreed by the SUP Working Group, and then passed for wider approval later this year.

The Sustainability Project Manager advised that the GM SUP group met quarterly and was an opportunity to share good practice and learning, share resources and explore opportunities to access additional funding. She stated that opportunities would also be explored to link with other core cities on this issue, however Manchester was leading on this issue.

The Sustainability Project Manager said that she would provide information following the meeting regarding the approach adopted by the Market Teams to ensure appropriate monitoring was undertaken to of MCC Markets and Parks, so they met the Council's Single Use Plastic Free Pledge. She added that the Christmas Market was monitored by the Specialist Markets Team.

The Sustainability Project Manager said that the ambition was to work with different landowners to explore all options to extend the refill scheme and all options for maximising opportunities would be considered by the established Task and Finish Group, however currently they had to work within the existing infrastructure. She advised that a trial had been conducted in Bury and this was subject to evaluation.

The Sustainability Project Manager stated that she would need to take away the specific request regarding arrangements for Wythenshawe Civic Centre however added that Licensing and Trading Standards would be working with businesses on this issue, adding the Councils Licensing Policy would have specific reference to SUP.

The Head of Integrated Commissioning and Procurement informed the Committee that meaningful data on Scope 3 emissions for suppliers should be available next year.

The Executive Member for Environment and Transport said the Council had invested in additional resources to drive this work to support the Council’s commitment to reducing emissions.

Decision

To note the report.