Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman advised that the proceedings were being recorded by the Council and that the meeting was being live streamed and broadcast from the Civic Suite, Castle House.

Councillor N. Mison advised that in the minutes he was shown as being present, when in fact he had sent his apologies.

AGREED      that having noted that Councillor Mison had not been present, the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2022 were a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee considered the report delivered by the Director - Communities & Environment and the Environmental Services Business Manager presenting the PPIC with the different options for, and implications of, implementing a kerbside glass collection, and for PPIC to consider and endorse the Officer recommendations.

The report reminded the Committee that at the September meeting of the Policy & Performance Improvement Committee a presentation had highlighted the results of the Residents’ Survey, from this and listening to feedback from residents, officers investigated the options available to the council to be able to deliver a kerbside glass recycling service.  The report also outlined options for the implementation of a kerbside glass service, to then be able to establish which was the most effective and value for money option.

The report looked at the current service, the wider considerations, type of collection, the frequency of collection, options for the recycling of the glass, income from selling the glass that is recycled and next steps.

The appendices to the report also provided the Committee with glass recycling rates for other councils in Nottinghamshire as well as recycling figures.

The Committee discussed with the Officers in more detail the options for consideration in the report including that of further consultation with residents on the specific proposal for kerbside glass recycling that was being recommended which the Members thought would be beneficial.

AGREED      (unanimously) that the Policy & Performance Improvement Committee recommended to Cabinet that if a kerbside glass collection service is to be introduced that:

a)        an eight weekly collection frequency be adopted;

b)        a 140 litre bin is used in the collection methodology;

c)        the Council does not provide the service in the ROB area as it may have a detrimental impact upon the objects of a long-established charity, but;

d)        the Council works alongside ROB to try to improve knowledge of the ROB service; its take up in the communities it serves; and the furtherance of its charitable objects;

e)        revenue and capital costs identified with the proposed methodology are recommended to Cabinet for inclusion in the budget for 23/24, however;

f)         before a final decision is undertaken, Members of PPIC wish to recommend to the Cabinet that consideration be given to a period of public consultation on the recommended service option given the significant capital and revenue costs involved and the need to effectively interface with ROB and the communities it serves, and;

g)        furthermore, that a market research company is commissioned to undertake a consultation exercise at a maximum cost of £15,000 funded from existing budgets.

Councillor M Cope joined the meeting at 6.07 pm – part way through the above item and therefore did not participate in the unanimous vote.

The Committee considered the Topic Request Form proposed by Councillor P Harris and seconded by Councillor M Brock to request a review of the Town Centres Strategy.

The Chairman advised the Committee this proposal would not go ahead as information relating to this was already in the public domain.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Director - Customer Services & Organisational Development providing Members with additional detail on the proposed working group for development of a Customer Strategy.  This included pertinent elements from the recent Residents’ Survey and the need for a Customer Strategy.

It was recommended at the meeting that a working group be set up, with the Chairman of the Committee asking which Member would be interested in chairing the group.  Councillor P. Harris put his name forward for the role of Chairman and Councillor Mrs L. Hurst for the role of Deputy Chairman.

The Chairman and Deputy Chairman will work with Officers to produce a scope, then offer it out to other Members who want to be part of the working group.

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

a)            Members set-up a working group to review Customer Communication experiences and feed those reflections into the development of the Customer Strategy; and

b)            Members add a review of the Communications Strategy to the Committee Work Programme to ensure the Strategy appropriately considers/responds to resident feedback.