Agenda and minutes

The apologies of Councillor Moulton were noted.

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings held on 2 February 2023 and to deal with any matters arising, attached.

RESOLVED: that the minutes for the Committee meeting on 2 February 2023 be approved and signed as a correct record.

The Committee considered the report of the Scrutiny Manager enabling the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to examine the content of the Forward Plan and to discuss issues of interest or concern with the Executive.

HOUSEHOLD WASTE AND FLY-TIPPING POLICY 2023-2026

The Committee considered the briefing paper attached to this item detailing the forthcoming Cabinet Decision regarding the Household Waste and Fly-Tipping Policy 2023-2026

Councillor Leggett – Cabinet Member for Finance & Change; Ian Collins – Director of Environment; and Dave Tyrie – Head of City Services and a number of community representatives were present and with the consent of the Chair addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed a number of points including:

• The poor recycling rates being achieved in Southampton that were consistently well below the national average.
• The high contamination rates for recycling.
• The strong performance relating to the number of bins being missed.
• Progress delivering the Waste Improvement and Transformation Programme and preparation for the forthcoming changes specified within the Environment Act 2021.
• The need for flexibility regarding side waste.
• The contribution that can be played by a number of Council services in supporting the waste objectives.

RESOLVED:

  1. Following consideration of the briefing paper relating to the forthcoming Cabinet Decision on the Household Waste and Fly-Tipping Policy 2023-2026 the Committee recommended that:

a.  the Cabinet Member for Finance and Change, and the Cabinet Member for Communities and Customer Engagement amended the draft policy to allow limited flexibility with regards to occasional side waste being collected in addition to household waste wheeled bin collection.

b.  the Cabinet Member for Finance and Change, and the Cabinet Member for Communities and Customer Engagement gave consideration to developing processes to deal with complex waste problems that can create significant problems to local communities if not resolved swiftly.

c.  the Council’s response to the Government’s consultation on charging for DIY waste at household waste recycling centres would be circulated to the Committee.

d.  the Executive explored how Planning and HMO Licensing could help support delivery of the Council’s waste policy agenda.

e.  the Executive committed to undertaking an extensive post adoption publicity campaign to raise awareness of the Waste and Fly Tipping Policy.  The campaign should include targeting specific communities and utilising different communication channels, including pictorial representation.

ENHANCED BUS PARTNERSHIP

The Committee considered the briefing paper attached to this item detailing the forthcoming Cabinet Decision regarding the Enhanced Bus Partnership.

Councillor Keogh – Cabinet Member for Transport & District Regeneration; Iain Steane – Transport Policy and Sustainable Travel Manager; Emma Baker – Strategic Transport Planner and a number of community representatives were present and with the consent of the Chair addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed a number of points including:

• The impact that the withdrawal from Southampton by First Bus would have on the Enhanced Bus Partnership.
• How the Partnership would deliver better outcomes for bus passengers in the city.
• Whether the governance arrangements were too onerous.
• Expectations of future resources to deliver the ambitions included with the Enhanced Bus Partnership  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

The Committee noted the report of the Scrutiny Manager enabling the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to monitor and track progress on recommendations made to the Executive at previous meetings.