Issue - meetings

The Democratic Services Officer introduced the report, requesting that the consideration be given to the (draft) formal report attached at appendix 1 to the report, and agree the report for submission to the relevant decision-makers. The draft report outlined the how the review into ‘the Council’s Performance against the Waste and Recycling Strategy, 2018-2023’ had taken place, the evidence provided and the recommended actions and intended outcomes produced as a result. 

During the discussion, several Members of the Committee felt that some of the recommended actions and intended outcomes should provide greater direction and measurable outcomes, to assist in their implementation and review by the relevant decision-makers. The changes proposed applied to actions six, eight and twenty, alongside further expansion of the review’s rationale on page 3 of appendix 1 to the report.

In response to the comments made, the Democratic Services Officer advised that if agreed, the report would be accompanied by a Scrutiny Recommendation and Action Implementation Plan (SCRAIP) when presented to the relevant decision-makers; the SCRAIP would include the relevant officer’s comments on each proposed recommended action such as its feasibility and the possible method and timeline for implementation for the decision-makers to consider.

The importance of ensuring that the information provided to the Committee was relevant and useful was reiterated, as it would assist the Committee in fulfilling its role to be a ‘critical friend’ to the Executive. The importance of reviewing all the lines of enquiry within a review’s scope was highlighted. A post-review evaluation could take place, although this would likely be in the next two-to-three years to allow the recommended actions to be implemented and their effects fully assessed.

RESOLVED: That the report be agreed for submission to the relevant decision-makers, subject to the addition of:

1.  The following text after the second paragraph on the ‘Rationale’ section:

a.  ‘It was further hoped that the review would increase both Member and Public knowledge of the service provided, facilitate service improvements and highlight the importance of communicating the service’s provision’

2.  A recommended action to request customer services complaints data in relation to waster services on a quarterly basis, in order to ascertain any particular issues and investigate solutions to those issues;

3.  The words ‘to make sure that the issues are appropriately addressed through the Lead Members involvement in the Kent Waste Forum’ within the intended outcomes section of recommendation six;

4.  The words ‘and include specific reference to Policy CSW3 (Kent Waste and Minerals Local Plan 2013-2030) to recommendation eight; and

5.  The words ‘As soon as possible’ to recommendation twenty.