Issue - meetings

Report requesting provision within the capital programme to finance procurement of the vehicle fleet.

Consideration was given to a report which requested supplementary budgets for procurement of a replacement vehicle fleet. The procurement process would inform the decision on whether to lease or purchase the fleet. Some concern was expressed in relation to the uncertain future of diesel vehicles and it was agreed that consideration would be given to feasibility of electric vehicles for the smaller vehicles.

It was requested that the report should be brought to the Scrutiny Commission for review of the outcomes of the procurement exercise to inform the decision to purchase or lease the fleet, although the tight timescales were noted.

Concern was expressed about potential parking problems should staff take the vehicle home with them. In response it was noted that there was sufficient parking for all of the larger vehicles on site and acknowledged that the parking of some vehicles at home enabled operatives to work more efficiently. Members were assured that, for those vehicles that were taken home, employees were asked to park considerately.

It was moved by Councillor Nickerson, seconded by Councillor Allen and

RESOLVED –

(i)            Procurement of the vehicle fleet and the associated supplementary budgets as follows, be approved:

(a)  A supplementary capital budget of £3,855,500 for fleet and equipment procurement;

(b)  A supplementary capital budget of £82,100 for the procurement of retained vehicles which is to be funded from the grounds machinery reserve;

(c)  A supplementary revenue budget of £609,004 for the annual financing cost which will replace the current revenue budget of £396,000;

(d)  An increase in the council’s capital financing requirement of £3,855,500 to allow the purchase.

(ii)           The decision on purchase and/or lease of fleet and equipment be delegated to the relevant officer in consultation with the Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services.

To recommend changes to the kerb side collection system for dry recyclable materials and that dry recycling collections be delivered by HBBC’s Street Scene Services from 1 April 2018.

A minute extract from the meeting of the Scrutiny Commission on 11 of May 2017 is attached.

Consideration was given to a report which proposed changes to the dry recycling service. Clarification was requested and provided on various costs in the report and the TUPE arrangements for staff who would be transferred should the recommendations be approved.

Councillor Hall suggested that, should the report be approved, the following should be included:

·         An additional collection round be provided from April 2018 at an estimated cost of £180,000;

·         Authority be delegated to the Head of Finance and the Executive member for Finance to agree the use of reserves and financing arrangements for the implementation of the new system.

He also requested that it be made clear that the creation of an additional trade waste collection round related to both residual and dry recycling collections.

The chairman of the Scrutiny Commission, in attendance in that capacity, requested that a report on the procurement of the new fleet be brought to the Scrutiny Commission following the procurement process and that value for money of the new arrangements be reported.

It was moved by Councillor Nickerson, seconded by Councillor Surtees and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The following changes to the dry recycling system from 1 April 2018 be approved:

·         Continuing with the current collection frequencies (2-weekly for each bin)

·         Continuing with the current container sizes

·         Changing the dry recycling collections to fully comingled, removing the inner caddy so all materials are mixed within the bin

·         No collection of unwanted inner caddies

·         Continuing kerbside collections of textiles

·         Ceasing collection of batteries

·         Changing bring sites to fully co-mingled dry recycling banks

·         Changing trade waste dry recycling collections to fully co-mingled

(ii)           The collection of dry recycling materials by the council’s Street Scene Services from 1 April 2018 be approved;

(iii)          The creation of an additional trade waste collection round (for residual and dry recycling) be approved;

(iv)         An additional collection round at a cost of £180,000 be approved;

(v)          Authority be delegated to the Head of Finance and the Executive member for Finance to agree the use of reserves and financing arrangements for the implementation of the new system.