Skip to content

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Suite - County Hall

Contact: Wendy Simpson, 01392 384383  Email: wendy.simpson@devon.gov.uk

Items
Note No. Item

*

27.

Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

In accordance with the agreed protocol, the Chair shall be a County Council or Torbay Council appointee and the Vice-Chair shall be a District Council appointee.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that Councillor A Davis and Councillor T Wright be elected Chair and Vice-Chair respectively for the ensuing year.

 

 

*

28.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2018, attached.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2018 be signed as a correct record.

*

29.

Chair's Announcement

Items which in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered at the meeting as matters of urgency.

Minutes:

The Chair extended an invitation to Members to encourage entries and attend the Recycle Devon Thank You Awards for recycling on 22 March 2019 at 2pm at County Hall,

 

 

*

30.

Recycling of Plastic - future collaboration

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor Radford has requested that the Committee consider this matter.

 

Minutes:

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor Radford had asked that the Committee consider this item.

 

The Mid Devon District Council Officer on behalf of Councillor Radford asked about the work of this Committee relating to plastic waste products. The Chair enquired with the representatives of the Councils present on whether plastic waste was exported or dealt within the UK. The majority indicated that most waste plastic was treated within the UK through contract arrangements and some was exported within the EU. The representatives also reported on the range and extent of community forums throughout the Districts set up to promote a plastic free environment and minimisation of plastic waste.   

*

31.

Waste Statistics 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 566 KB

Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/18/61), attached.

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/18/61) and received a detailed presentation on Devon’s Waste Statistics for 2017/18 with individual authority performance data. The headline statistics 2017/18 (change from 2016/17) for Devon and Torbay respectively were:

 

Recycling Rate (Devon) 54.0% (-1.7%)

Waste Growth (Devon)  -1.3%

Highest Performing WCA: Teignbridge at 55.4%.

 

Recycling Rate (Torbay) 42.6% (1.1%)

Waste Growth (Torbay)  +0.5%

 

All district authorities (except East Devon and North Devon) and Exeter City encountered reductions in recycling performance generally due to reductions in ‘dry’ recyclables collected via kerbside and banks.  Devon’s Household Waste Recycling Centres rate decreased by 9.4% from 81.4% to 72%.  This was in the main due to the carpets and mattresses which were heavy items not having an economic outlet for recycling which therefore had to go for recovery or disposal.

 

The Report also detailed current service provision and plans and progress towards the ‘aligned option’ in respect of the Waste Collection Authorities in Devon and Torbay.

 

Members noted that in West Devon recycling rates had reduced which could be attributable to reduced spending on education and campaigning and which was now expected to improve with service changes proposed by the Borough. The Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructures Development and Waste suggested this as a case study on the relationship between decreased publicity and reduced performance. 

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Davis, SECONDED by Councillor Wright and

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that  the performance of the Devon local authorities and Torbay Council be noted;

 

(b) that a reduction of 1.3% in waste arisings in Devon be welcomed; and

 

(c) that the reduction of 1.7% in the recycling rate for Devon to 54% be noted.

*

32.

Budget Proposal 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 469 KB

Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/18/62), attached.

 

Minutes:

(Councillor A Davis declared a personal interest in this matter by virtue of her membership of the Exmoor National Park Authority) 

 

The Committee considered the Report of the Chief Officer Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/18/62) on the proposed funding allocations for 2019/20 which totalled £182,800 covering: Re-use credits (£49,000), Don’t Let Devon Go to Waste (£41,000), Waste and Recycling Advisors  Contract (£85,000), a litter and fly tipping campaign (£6,800); and audit charges (£1000). 

 

The Committee received a presentation on the activities of the Waste and Recycling Advisors working on behalf of the Devon Authorities Waste Partnership.

 

Regarding ‘Litter and Fly tipping’ an allocation of £6,800 (which had remained unspent) had been made in 2018/19 and now a further £6,800 was proposed for 2019/20 to continue the work with partner bodies across the region to develop behavioural change and education initiatives. Preliminary discussions had been held with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner; the Environment Agency; Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks; Highways England; and the NFU, with respect to forming a collaborative partnership to “Clean Devon”.  All these authorities were in favour of a partnership approach and a multi-agency meeting was being arranged with a view to embarking on a “Clean Devon” campaign in 2019/20. It was therefore proposed to allocate £6,800 to Clean Devon for 2019/20 and carry over the £6,800 from 2018/19 to give £13,600 to pump prime the contribution from this Committee to be made towards the wider partnership on the understanding that the other partners would  allocate resource (noting that some would be by way of employee and other non-cash resources).

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Davis, SEC0NDED by Councillor Cann and

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that the proposed budget for 2019/20 and the extension of the Waste and Recycling Advisors Contract for one year be approved;

 

(b) that the 2018/19 budget position be noted.

 

*

33.

Hot topic - Ecowaste4food

Presentation by Emma Croft, Ecowaste4food Project Manager

 

Minutes:

The Committee received a presentation on the Ecowaste4food Project. This project brought together seven local and regional authorities from seven countries throughout Europe. Its ambition was to address the crucial issue of food waste in the supply chain, by sharing knowledge, experience and innovation across the partner authorities.

 

The presentation covered the Project’s objectives, the food and drink material hierarchy, UK food estimated waste (post farm) in the UK (amongst the highest in Europe), partnership projects across Europe, Action Plans, regional partnerships and programmes, reference to the UK Resource and Waste Strategy with a focus on food, and proposed solutions.

 

*

34.

Future meetings

6 February 2019, 19 June 2019, 17 October 2019 and 5 February 2020.

Minutes:

20 February 2019, 19 June 2019, 17 October 2019 and 19 February 2020.


Top