Agenda item

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Barry)

Referral report from Overview and Scrutiny Committee to follow.

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Barry)

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report requesting Cabinet to consider a referral regarding Food Waste as a result of the Call-in of Cabinet’s decision with regard to Food Waste (Minute 47 refers). The referral asked that Cabinet reconsiders its decision to adopt Options 1 and 2, taken at its meeting on 2^nd September 2008, and look again at the most cost effective and efficient schemes, including Option 3 and other schemes not yet discussed, for example home composting and using green bins instead of the food waste caddy.

The options in the referral report were set out as follows:-

1.         Reaffirm the decision of Cabinet of 2^nd September 2008.

The original report to Cabinet on Implications of the Lancashire Municipal Waste Strategy and PFI Funded Waste Disposal Arrangements and the relevant minute are attached to this report.

2.         Accept the recommendations either wholly or in part made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the Call-in on 23^rd September and make resolutions in line with those recommendations.

3.         Take a different decision, although if the decision is not in accordance with option 1 and 2 above it is subject to call-in.

Councillor Barry moved, and Councillor Fletcher seconded:-

“That all households be provided with a 23 litre caddy for food waste, as set out in Option 1 of the original report to Cabinet on 2^nd September 2008.”

By way of amendment, it was moved by Councillor Mace and seconded by Councillor Archer that:-

“(1)        Cabinet notes the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

(2)               Cabinet notes the objective of diverting food waste from the residual waste stream, so as to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill

(3)               Cabinet notes the unacceptable extent of cuts in services likely to be necessary to achieve targets for the maximum increase in Council Tax in the medium term if options 1 or 2 are selected

(4)               Cabinet recommends that the costs outlined in the report for the collection of food waste (Option 3 of the original report to Cabinet on 2^nd September 2008) are built into the forthcoming review of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for subsequent referral on to council

(5)               That, subject to the outcome of the above, a service for the collection of food waste, as outlined in Option 3 of the original report to Cabinet on 2^nd September 2008, is implemented in April 2010.”

By way of further amendment, which was accepted as a friendly amendment by the mover and seconder of the amendment, Councillor Bryning proposed that a further point be added as follows:

“(6)      That the City Council works with the Lancashire Waste Partnership locally to promote waste minimisation and home composting.”

By way of a further amendment, which was not accepted as a friendly amendment by the mover of the original proposal, Councillor Barry proposed and Councillor Fletcher seconded:

“That Cabinet instructs officers to consider the costs of providing a small food caddy to those with green waste bins and to report back at a later date.”

2 Members (Councillors Barry and Fletcher) voted in favour of the further amendment, 5 Members voted against (Councillors Archer, Bryning, Burns, Kerr and Mace) and 2 Members (Councillors Charles and Gilbert) abstained from voting, whereupon the Chairman declared the further amendment to be lost.

Members then voted on the earlier amendment as follows:-

Resolved:

(6 Members voted in favour (Councillors Archer, Bryning, Burns, Charles, Kerr and Mace), 2 Members voted against (Councillors Barry and Fletcher) and 1 Member abstained (Councillor Gilbert).

(1)         Cabinet notes the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

(2)         Cabinet notes the objective of diverting food waste from the residual waste stream, so as to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill

(3)         Cabinet notes the unacceptable extent of cuts in services likely to be necessary to achieve targetes for the maximum increase in Council Tax in the medium term if options 1 or 2 are selected

(4)         Cabinet recommends that the costs outlined in the report for the collection of food waste (Option 3 of the original report to Cabinet on 2^nd September 2008) are built into the forthcoming review of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for subsequent referral on to council

(5)         That, subject to the outcome of the above, a service for the collection of food waste, as outlined in Option 3 of the original report to Cabinet on 2^nd September 2008, is implemented in April 2010

(6)         That the City Council works with the Lancashire Waste Partnership locally to promote waste minimisation and home composting.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Corporate Director (Community Services)

Head of City Council Direct Services

Reason for making the decision:

The decision is made in line with the recommendations of Overview and Scrutiny Committee that Cabinet reconsiders its decision and looks again at the most cost effective and efficient schemes, including Option 3.