Agenda item

This item was considered following item 15 (Kent Resource Partnership - Presentation).

David Beaver (Head of Waste Management) was in attendance for this item.

1.    Mr Hills, as Deputy Cabinet Member for Environment, provided an overview of the Cabinet Member for Environment’s proposed decision to increase disposal charges levied at the HWRCs for non-household waste materials and through delegation, for the Director of Environment and Waste to annually review and publish charges in line with changing operational costs. He emphasised the need to bring prices in line with costs in order to avoid subsidisation.

2.    Mr Beaver reminded the committee that the policy to charge for the disposal of non-household materials, including soil, rubble, hardcore and plasterboard was introduced in June 2019. He noted that prices had not increased since the policy was agreed and that costs to KCC had increased during the intervening period.

3.    Mr Lewis raised concerns that an increase in disposal charges levied at the HWRCs for non-household waste materials could lead to a loss of revenue due to lower use and cause an increase in fly tipping across the county.

4.    Mr Rayner commented that the disposal charges levied at the HWRCs for non-household waste materials by should be increased by 42%, with profits to be used to bolster KCC’s reserves.

5.    Mr Rayner moved and Mr Baldock seconded a motion “that the Cabinet Committee recommend that the Cabinet Member for Environment increase disposal charges levied at the HWRCs for non-household waste materials by 42%.”

6.    Members voted on the motion. The motion failed.

7.    Members raised concerns that the officer delegation included within the proposed decision allowed for insufficient member oversight.

8.    Mr Baker commented that public communications needed to clearly set out what KCC did and did not levy charges on for disposals at HWRCs.

9.    Mr Beaver confirmed, following a question from Mr Chittenden, that plaster board disposal at HWRC had reduced from 33,000 tonnes, before implementation of the policy, to 4,700 tonnes in the previous year. He added that £360,000 income was forecast for the coming year and that fly-tying in relation to materials related to policy have decreased.

10. Mrs Hudson moved and Mr Baldock seconded a motion “that the Cabinet Committee recommend that the Cabinet Member for Environment does not increase disposal charges levied at the HWRCs for non-household waste materials.”

11. Members voted on the motion. The motion failed.

12. The Chairman moved a motion ‘to endorse the Cabinet Member for Environment on the proposed decision to increase disposal charges levied at the HWRCs for non-household waste materials and through the main delegations, via the Officer Scheme of Delegation, for the Director of Environment and Waste to annually review and publish charges in line with changing operational costs.’

13. Members voted on the motion. The votes cast were as follows:

For (7)

Mr N Collor, Mr D Crow-Brown, Mr M Dendor, Mr T Hills, Mr S Holden, Mr A Sandhu MBE, Mr D Watkins

Against (5)

Mr M Baldock, Mr T Bond, Mrs S Hudson, Mr H Rayner, Mr B Lewis

Abstain (1)

Mr B Sweetland

14.The motion passed.

RESOLVED to endorse the Cabinet Member for Environment on the proposed decision to increase disposal charges levied at the HWRCs for non-household waste materials and through the main delegations, via the Officer Scheme of Delegation, for the Director of Environment and Waste to annually review and publish charges in line with changing operational costs.