Decision details

Cabinet considered a report which sought approval for a ten year plan for waste. The Authority had a statutory duty to collect and dispose of household waste arising within the borough.  Annually it dealt with around 94,000 tonnes of waste material with an overall cost to the Authority of £11.339 million to collect, dispose of and treat.

In October 2013, Cabinet had adopted a Waste Strategy 2013-2030 with the overarching strategic aim to reduce waste and use it as a resource.  Since then the average waste per household had reduced and more waste was being diverted away from landfill.  Over 90% of waste material was either recycled or converted into energy and, following the introduction of alternate weekly household collections in August 2018, kerbside recycling was increasing.

The government had published its new strategy for waste in December 2018 and had stated its intention to introduce legislation aimed at creating a ‘circular economy’: minimising waste and using it as a resource.  This would have a direct impact on local authorities.

Within North Tyneside, the number of households in the borough was set to grow in line with the housing requirement within the Local Plan, the Elected Mayor had outlined her ambition to create a borough free of single-use plastics and full Council had declared a Climate Emergency in July of this year.  All of these drivers would have an impact on future waste management in the borough.  The Authority therefore needed a plan to guide its approach for the remaining 10 years of its waste strategy, an action identified in Cabinet’s budget proposals which formed part of the 2019-2023 Financial Planning and Budget process.

The ten-year plan for waste was appended to the report.  It set out the strategic landscape for waste by describing the international, national and local drivers that were shaping the Authority’s thinking.  It then identified actions that the Authority would need to take in order to address the future challenges that were anticipated.  This included a proposal to extend the Authority’s successful waste disposal contract arrangements over the medium-term to ensure that it had the required flexibility to secure the right decisions for the longer-term. 

There was an action plan within the strategy to 2023 with a commitment to review it in 2019.

The Authority had made significant progress in delivering the strategic aims, and a summary of the key outcomes was set out in Table 1 in the report.  Within the borough the Authority had supported the Young Mayor’s campaign to increase the number of water refill stations and constructed a mobile water fountain for use at public events such as the 10km road race to reduce the single-use of bottles.

It was clear from the detail of what had been outlined in the report that a number of policy, legislative and contractual drivers had had to be taken into account, as outlined in the report. The report also set out the Authority’s key actions as follows:

•           Investigate and implement separate food waste collections;

•           Upgrade its Household Waste Recycling Centre to meet changing customer needs;

•           Commence new arrangements for materials recycling, waste disposal and treatment;

•           Refresh its approach to waste awareness campaigns and initiatives to improve recycling and promote the latest thinking;

•           Deliver the short, medium and long-term goals of its action plan to create a borough free of single-use plastics.

The expected key outcomes of those actions were also set out in the report.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendations set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not approve the recommendations.

Resolved that (1) the Authority’s ten year plan for waste, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, be approved; and

(2) the Head of Environment, Housing and Leisure, in consultation with the Head of Law and Governance, Head of Resources, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources and Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, be authorised to conclude and enter into the necessary agreements to extend the residual waste contract with the current waste provider.

(Reasons for decision:  Approval of the ten year plan for waste will clearly set out the Authority’s approach to waste and meets Cabinet’s budget proposals as part of the 2019-2023 Financial Planning and Budget Process to develop it.  It also meets the commitment within the Authority’s Waste Strategy 2013-2030 to review and update the action plan, which expires in 2023.)