Agenda item

 – report by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste and the Corporate Director, Enterprise and Environment

(Caroline Arnold, Head of Waste Management was present for this item)

(1)       This report set out the findings of the Review of the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in Kent and recommended changes to the way the sites are to be operated and provided.  A full Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) had been conducted prior to the development and delivery of the public consultation, to shape the engagement mechanisms and ensure that particular attention was paid to engagement with minority groups in Kent. The EIA was further reviewed following the consultation to enable KCC to respond to any new issues that arose and to ensure no groups were disadvantaged.

(2)       Mr Sweetland outlined the report and highlighted the main points arising from the public consultation.  He said the purpose of the review was to look at provision and service delivery and to provide better and more efficient services on a Kent wide basis.  This would mean two facilities at Richborough and Hawkinge being recommended for closure in Autumn 2013.  With regard to the Richborough site, a petition had been received against closure with sufficient signatures to prompt a debate at the Council meeting on 29 March 2012.  Other facilities, including the one at Ashford, would be upgraded and capital funding has been allocated fora new facility in Tonbridge and Malling. Overall the net result would be an improved service across the County with the majority of residents being no more than 20 minutes away from a Household Waste Recycling Centre.  

(3)       Mr Sweetland also said that the Council had responded to views expressed during the consultation resulting in a slight relaxation of the rules relating to the use of trailers by householders.  Also a feasibility study will be undertaken on the opportunities at KCC waste sites to promote cost effective waste disposal capacity for businesses.  Coupled to this the County Council would continue its robust approach to prosecuting cases of fly tipping.  Mr Cubitt spoke of the detailed work undertaken by the Informal Members Group. It was necessary for the Council to improve facilities across the County on a cost effective basis in order to bring sites up to standard by 2017.  Even with the proposed closure of Richborough and Hawkinge residents from those areas would still be within a 20 minute drive of an alternative.  He also said he had seen no evidence to support that these proposals would see an increase in fly-tipping.

(4)       At the conclusion of the discussion Mr Sweetland said that in view of the fact that the petition in respect of the proposed closure of Richborough would be debated at the March Council meeting and decision on that site should be deferred till after that meeting. 

(5)       He therefore proposed and it was agreed that Cabinet should resolve as follows:

(i)         That all the recommendations set out on pages 329 to 331 of the Cabinet report be endorsed

(ii)        It be noted that the petition received in respect of the proposals related to the Richborough Household Waste Recycling Centrewill be debated at the meeting of the County Council on Thursday 29 March 2012.

(iii)       As a consequence all the final decisions related to this matter are delegated to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste so that he can take these in the light of the Richborough Household Waste Recycling Centre debate at the County Council meeting on 29 March 2012.