Agenda item

The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submits a report outlining proposals to rationalise the Bring Bank network.  The Commission is recommended to receive the report and pass comments on the proposed changes to the bring bank network to the Director for consideration.

The Chair took this item and agenda item 8, “Waste Management Services Overview”, in the opposite order to that set out on the agenda, to help Members’ awareness of the services being provided.

The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submitted a report outlining proposals to rationalise the Bring Bank network. 

The Commission noted that only 300 tonnes of paper, glass and card were received per annum from recycling bring banks in the city, in contrast to 300 tonnes per week received through the kerbside recycling bag scheme.  Bring banks also could encourage fly tipping, with items being left next to the bins.  In addition, some of the bring bank bins needed refreshing.  The opportunity therefore was being taken to consider how the service could be rationalised.  Textile collection bins at bring banks were not included in this, as currently the Council did not offer a kerbside collection of textiles.

Some concern was expressed that, although 73% of respondents to the consultation exercise supported the introduction of mixed recycling bins, the number of respondents appeared to be low.  However, it was noted that the response received was considered to be good for this type of consultation and matched the information obtained by the Council through its own monitoring of bring bank sites.  Members were assured that responses received during the consultation, including information on which sites respondents used, were taken in to consideration in preparing the proposals being made for the rationalisation of the service.

Members suggested that promoting bring banks through local radio stations could be beneficial.  Councillor Clarke (Deputy City Mayor with responsibility for Environment and Transportation) welcomed this suggestion, noting that some local radio stations had a very high number of listeners. 

Members also expressed concern that some textile bins were very full and suggested that it could be beneficial to change bins currently used for the collection of other materials at bring bank sites to textile bins.  It was noted that the contract required textile bins to be emptied as needed, so not all bins would be emptied with the same frequency.  Officers advised that they were not aware of over-full textile banks, but the Head of Waste Services undertook to conduct a full survey of how often textile bins were being emptied and ask the Council’s contractor (Biffa) to raise the matter with its sub-contractor (the Salvation Army).

In response to Members’ enquiries, it was noted that it was proposed to remove the bins currently at The Triangle Public House on Coleman Road, as they were being used for a lot of trade waste.  To stop the contamination of materials left in recycling bins in the future, the new bins would have a lock on either side of the lid and would have restricted openings on the top, to restrict what could be put in them. 

Emptying of the bins remaining following rationalisation of the bring bank sites would be incorporated in to the collection rounds of kerbside recycling bags, but the frequency would vary by site and would be tailored as appropriate.

The Commission was advised that all of the proposed sites for the new recycling bins had been measured and could accommodate the new style.  Non-Council landowners had been contacted for permission to use additional areas of land where needed and this already had been granted for most sites, should it be determined that the remodelling of the service would proceed.

AGREED:

1)    That the Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services be asked to circulate details of the proposed changes to bring bank sites to all Councillors once the changes have been confirmed;

2)    That the Head of Waste Services be asked to undertake a full survey of textile bins at bring bank sites, to ensure that they are being emptied at appropriate frequencies; and

3)    That the Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services be asked to consider how recycling services can be further promoted, for example through the use of advertising on local radio stations.