Name of Review:
‘Making waste work for Maidstone’
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The Communities Overview
and Scrutiny Committee have decided to cover Waste as a major review topic
for the 2011-2012 municipal year. They wish to incorporate the following
three aspects by investigating the current priorities of the Waste Team with
a view to making recommendations to strengthen the outcomes by taking a full
view of what is being achieved in the rest of the Country:
- Commercial Waste
collection opportunities;
- Waste reduction; and
- The new waste &
recycling contract which will be tendered later this year.
What are the objectives
and desired outcomes of the review?
- To monitor the outcomes from
the Best Value Review and targets set especially those relating to
Commercial Waste and Waste Reduction:
a.
005 - Provide residents with an
easy to use bulky collection service with an improved pricing structure
b.
009 - Investigate options for
the collection of commercial waste
c.
010 - Robust monitoring
arrangements are established with a greater focus on the outcome achieved
d.
012 Ensure that education and
promotion work is targeted with monitorable outcomes
- Identify how to unlock
the economic value of waste in Maidstone;
- Identify opportunities to
engage and support the business community in reducing and reusing their
waste as well as waste and recycling collections (large and small
businesses and charities) and establish what businesses in the borough
have large quantities of waste;
- Investigate best practice
for incentivised waste reduction on offer i.e. Manchester City Council’s
Environmental Business Pledge and Lancashire County Council’s Green
Partnership Awards;
- Examine best practice in
established commercial waste services in terms of collection, reuse and recycling;
- Investigate possible
partnership or subcontracting arrangements;
- Investigate Community
Projects which could benefit from the reuse of waste materials (and
other not for profit organisations) i.e. terra cycle http://www.terracycle.co.uk/brigades,
YMCA, charities and the
Prison (include Bulky collections);
- Investigate the
consideration given to new developments by the planning authority in
relation to waste and waste disposal;
- To make recommendations
as appropriate to the Best Value Review of Waste which remains a ‘live’
document ;and
- Ensure the new waste
contract delivers the most comprehensive and efficient service possible
for residents.
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What equality issues
will need to be considered as part of the review – giving consideration to the
9 protected characteristics? *
Age and Disability are two
equality issues which may need to be considered in the review. When establishing
new methods of waste reduction disability issues will be a consideration to
ensure they are accessible to all and when communicating and age will be a
consideration when engaging with different sectors of the community.
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Which witnesses are
required?
- Businesses (Invicta
Chamber of Commerce, Marden Business Forum, Town Centre Management)
- Waste Team
- Property and Procurement
- Economic Development (to
explore commercial waste with business)
- Environmental Enforcement
- Jennifer Hunt, EMS
Project Manager
- Dr Jane Beasley (Chartered
Wastes Manager at Beasley Associates Ltd who presented at the Local
Authority Advisory Committee Conference in 2010)
- Defra
- Representative from Mayor
of London’s Office
- Representative from Manchester
City Council (Leading the way to become first Green City) or other
outside Local Authority demonstrating Best Practice
- KCC
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Other ways to seek evidence
e.g. site visits, involving members of the public, consultation.
Dependant on the Committee Member’s experience of
this topic prior to the review evidence would be sought by including:
- Visit to the depot to
fully understand the aims, achievements and resources available to the
Waste team;
- The Waste Team’s road shows;
- Running a workshop with
Businesses (with the waste team) to demonstrate the value of reducing,
reusing and recycling municipal waste;
- Visit to London to gain
an understanding of Mayor of London’s Waste Management Resource and
other areas identified as demonstrating best practice;
- Businesses (Large and
small);
- Evidence from Defra, Environment
Agency, Love food Haste Waste, WRAP (Waste & Resources Action
Programme), Confederation
of European Waste to Energy Plants and other advisory organisations;
- Mosaic (Maidstone’s demographic);
and
- Parliamentary Select
Committee Reviews.
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What
information/training is needed?
Calendar of important dates
relating to important decisions made by the relevant authorities.
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Suggested time for
review and report completion date
6-9 months
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How does the review link
to council priorities?
- For Maidstone to have a
growing economy
- For Maidstone to be a
decent place to live
- Corporate and Customer
Excellence
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How does this item
deliver CfPS effective scrutiny principles?
1
Provides ‘critical friend’
challenge to executive policy-makers and decision-makers
2
Enables the voice and concerns
of the public
3
Is carried out by ‘independent
minded governors’ who lead and own the scrutiny role
4
Drives improvement in public
services
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Any co-optees or expert
witnesses?
- KCC
- Mid/West Kent Partnership
- DEFRA
- Dr Jane Beasley
- Other expert/academic
witnesses
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* What do you know about the equality groups and the make-up
of the people using the service or in the area? Qualitative and quantitative
information
Think of the wider ‘community’ including people who possibly
do not currently use the service but could or should.