Waste Management Key Recommendations - PowerPoint Presentation

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Waste Management

Key Recommendations

Waste Management Financial Summary (for financial year 15-16)

Area of Expenditure

Annual Budget

Actual Spend

Over/(Under) Spend

Direct staff costs

9,875,700

9,872,268

(3,432)

Property costs

509,000

461,680

(47,320)

Transport costs

4,064,400

3,816,857

(247,543)

Plant & Equipment costs

179,100

179,175

75

Materials

363,600

328,920

(34,680)

Protective clothing

63,900

58,117

(5,783)

Consultants/licences

216,900

217,790

890

Contractors

9,729,700

9,764,249

34,549

Landfill Tax

2,977,300

3,487,890

510,590

Disposal costs

43,200

35,175

(8,025)

Admin costs

125,229

166,612

41,383

Total Expenditure

28,148,029

28,388,733

240,704

Income

3,155,600

3,526,197

(370,597)

Net Expenditure

24,992,429

24,862,536

(129,893)

Key Recommendations

Management of Licensed Sites

We need to challenge SEPA on monitoring requirements and associated licence costs – may be national issue.

We need to complete work on options for renewable energy at former (or existing landfill sites).

Key Recommendations

Waste Transfer and Disposal

Transfer Stations – we need to make it a

Redesign Priority

to fill in the gaps in provision – allows significant bargaining power with private sector operators

Residual Waste Pre-treatment in Inverness is a known requirement post 2019 (when extended contracts run out). We need to make it a

Redesign Priority

to update the Business Case and find a site – this allows significant bargaining power and the ability to take things back in-house in the medium term.

Key Recommendations

Waste Transfer and Disposal

There will be no disposal of biodegradable waste in landfill post 2020. We have capacity in Seater until 2020 – how can this capacity be best utilised in the period 2019-2021. Post 2021 – will still be able to landfill all other types of waste – this is a market opportunity for the Council

Long term solution, whether

EfW

or other technology – Business Case needs to be done

now, and included as a key commitment within the new Council Programme. This should be a

Redesign Priority

The bulking up and disposal of

recyclate

should form part our medium and long term solution –potential for arms-length or in house management of this as opposed to the current private sector arrangements

.

We need to look at Fife as a case study – they deliver waste management services through an arms length company – final report will look at advantages and disadvantages of this approach

Key Recommendations

Collection of Waste

We need to procure route optimisation software to challenge our existing collection routes and frequencies from a cost and environmental impact perspective. This should be a

Redesign Priority.

We need to review the Routes which currently utilise Overtime payments as standard. We need to recognise that there are areas where it may simply be uneconomic to carry out separate collections (cf. Argyll and Bute).

We need to support the implementation of trials on changing the frequency of collections – particularly focussed on Inner Moray Firth area, where the main population centres are – this will be tied in to discussions with Zero Waste Scotland Recycling Charter (As per CS Committee decisions on 18 September). However, a

Redesign Priority

should be to implement a trial ASAP. Citizens Panel – 50% disagree or strongly disagree with less frequent collections.

Key Recommendations

Collection of Waste

We

need to review the

structure of crews and make better use of technology (“in-cab” technology) – saves double keying/reduction of bureaucracy

Consider changing collection methods in some remote/hard to reach areas by investing in new fleet vehicles that can accommodate different waste types – rather than fortnightly collection to collect recycling and residual –

do it once!

We need to implement charges for new and replacement bins. We need to ensure that new developments are designed in such a way as to assist our collection routes and priorities – the use of communal bins needs to be investigated both in existing developments and new developments (£33k).

Key Recommendations

Collection of

Recyclate

We need to review the operation and use of Recycling

Centres

– looking particularly at education, awareness and scrutiny by site staff of what people are getting rid off.

We need to lead by example by recognising there is room

for

improvement in recycling in Schools and Other Council premises (£90k).

Rural Recycling – if doorstep collection is amended there is scope to look at other forms of centralised provision in rural areas.

Glass Recycling – we are currently spending more to collect glass in some locations than it costs to dispose of it. We need to address this as a priority – there will still be facilities at supermarkets, schools, shops

etc

– people will still have a choice – this could generate an immediate saving. Citizens Panel – 32% strongly agree and 48% agree that we should remove the bottle banks which are not well used.

Key Recommendations

Collection of

Recyclate

We should look to partners in the Highlands to investigate opportunities for reprocessing of

recyclate

more locally – how do we use our won waste – e.g. work with UHI and HIE to determine opportunities for glass reprocessing?

Key Recommendations

Commercial Waste

We need to refocus existing staff to ensure commercial opportunities are maximised and contracts are managed on a regular basis. Depending on other redesign decisions, it may be appropriate to create a specific commercial waste team.

This should be a

redesign priority.

We need to further analyse net costs of weekly collections – and consider reduction/withdrawal where these are not cost effective . We need to manage the reputational risk, but also recognise that the Council is often the only provider in particular areas.

We should consider putting in place delegated

c

harging powers, allowing a more dynamic approach to changes in the market (£260k).

We should put in place process improvements to our current contracts process, including fees for any changes made during the contracts period (budget proposal).

Key Recommendations

Commercial Waste

We need to put in place Billing and Cost Recovery procedures for commercial waste that link in with wider finance service billing procedures.

We need to better understand our income and overheads – to determine the true costs involved in running our service and as a result ensure we are able to compete.

We need to ensure that all of our NDR customers are being covered by our commercial waste arrangements and ensure the technology is in place within the team to allow this to be managed effectively.

Key Recommendations

Green Waste

We should introduce a fee for the collection of green waste – this will follow the model that has been introduced in Angus Council and several English authorities (£500k). This is preferable to stopping the service altogether which Borders Council have done, or not providing it at all (such as Aberdeenshire Council)

Put in place back office systems to support the system – and market the service – it is very good value at 50p per week!

Citizens Panel – 47% would pay the annual charge

Key Recommendations

Food Waste

We need to consider the value of our food waste collection – only used by 40% of householders. Should we consider changing frequency to fortnightly or consider not providing the service at all (although the latter has been considered previously and discounted on legal advice).

Key Recommendations

Bulky Uplift

Should we stop the service?

If stopping the service altogether is not an option, then we need to increase the charges to more closely match the costs of providing the service (£60k).

We should investigate whether a list of approved private sector bulky uplift companies can be used to divert the burden of bulky uplifts from the Council. May be issues over liability but worthy of further discussion.

Bulky Uplift – 55% support increasing the standard charge, 45% support ceasing the service altogether.

Key Recommendations

Fly Tipping

We should treat reports of fly tipping as requests for service rather than stage 1 complaints, and these should be prioritised by operations managers on a case by case basis.

We should levy a cost recovery charge to private landowners for clearing private land (unless there are exceptional circumstances).

Key Recommendations

Education and Awareness

We should review and refocus the role of the Waste Awareness team creating capacity to focus on maximising commercial opportunities.

The role of engaging with the public at recycling centres to encourage them to increase recycling and reduce landfill should sit with recycling centre staff.

Work with Care and Learning to ensure that off-the-shelf recycling information is used as part of the curriculum.

We should consider whether Members could take on a “champion” role for recycling when speaking to schools/local groups.