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Name of Review:

‘Making waste work for Maidstone’

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 services 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);

• 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.

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 engaging with different sectors of the community, age will be a consideration.

Which witnesses are required?

• Businesses (Invicta Chamber of Commerce, Marden Business Forum, Town Centre Management and the Federation of Small Businesses)

• 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

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 Business (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);

• Maidstone Prison;

• 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);

• Parliamentary Select Committee Reviews;

• A public meeting held in the business community at either the federation of Small Businesses or the Marden Business Forum to provide an open forum for businesses; and

• The Incinerator and Blaise Farm.

What information/training is needed?

Important dates in the Waste Calendar are needed to ensure the Committee is offering an input at the correct time which will ensure they are able to deliver effectively in line with scrutiny principles.

Suggested time for review and report completion date

6-9 months

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

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

Any co-optees or expert witnesses?

• KCC
• Mid/West Kent Partnership
• DEFRA
• Dr Jane Beasley
• Other expert/academic witnesses