Agenda item

This item was considered following item 8 (Performance Dashboard).

Mr Anthony Hook (Member for Faversham), Mr Tom Cannon (Member for Maidstone Central), David Beaver (Head of Waste Management) and Hannah Allard (Waste Business Development Manager) were in attendance for this item.

1.    Miss Carey introduced her report which detailed the savings required at Household Waste and Recycling Centres, in line with KCC’s medium term financial plan. Key considerations, including three potential options identified were highlighted. It was noted that closing sites for two days per week had been discounted as an option as it would not deliver the savings required from the service.

2.    Mr Hook addressed the committee. He raised concerns that the report contained insufficient information on the financial impact and bearing on other HWRCs of the potential options to inform member consideration and the public consultation. In relation to the potential closure of Faversham HWRC cited in option 2 and 3, he warned that routes from Faversham to the nearest alternative HWRCs would involve travel through Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA).

3.    Members commented that further information was required to fully understand the long-term impact of the proposed options, factoring in projected population growth in the county. Reassurance was sought that the consultation process would be open and transparent.

4.    Ms Dawkins moved and Mr Lewis seconded a motion that the Cabinet Committee “recommend that the Cabinet Member for Environment delay consultation until feasibility studies have been carried out into the introduction of repair shops at Household Waste Recycling Centres and an inhouse waste pick up service.”

5.    Miss Carey responded by commenting that it was unlikely that the proposed measures recommended in the amendment would realise the required savings.

6.    Mr Beaver noted the operational changes reported to the committee in January which included bag splitting and the introduction of trade waste handling. He added that the experiences of other authorities had indicated that repair shops did not yield significant savings and required initial capital investment which was not currently available.

7.    Members voted on the motion. The motion was lost.

8.    Mr Sandhu commented that HWRCs played an important role in helping households manage their waste and improve recycling. He warned that decreasing the number of sites could lead to increases in fly tipping and place an additional burden on district councils as waste collection authorities.

9.    In relation to option 2, Mr Chittenden raised concerns that closure of Tovil, Maidstone HWRC would increase congestion in Maidstone. Mr Cannon addressed the committee, adding that closure of Tovil HWRC would negatively impact Maidstone’s waste infrastructure and stressed that any options considered should be fully future proofed to take account of housing and population increases.

10. Concerning the considerations detailed in all 3 potential options cited in the report, the vice-chairman and Mr Crow-Brown asked that further information be provided on the rationale for closing the Richborough HWRC. It was noted that significant development was planned in the sites vicinity.

11. Mr Chittenden moved and Mr Lewis seconded a motion that the Cabinet Committee “recommend that the Cabinet Member for Environment consider further alterative options to those cited in the report.”

12. Members voted on the motion. The motion was lost.

13. The chairman moved and Mr Whiting second a motion that the Cabinet Committee “recommend that the Cabinet Member for Environment:

a)    form an informal working group of the committee to consider the information contained within the consultation document; and

b)    report the consultation document to the next meeting of the committee.”

14. Members voted on the motion. The motion passed.

RESOLVED to recommend that the Cabinet Member for Environment:

c)    form an informal working group of the committee to consider the information contained within the consultation document; and

d)    report the consultation document to the next meeting of the committee.