Agenda item

Report attached

The Joint Executive Committee received a report on the current position regarding the Residual Waste Treatment Contract and other ancillary waste joint contracts and activities managed by the South Tyne and Wear Waste Management Partnership (STWWMP).

The latest contract performance (April 2018-January 2019) and service updates during recent months were reported.

The Joint Executive Committee were advised that STWWMP remains committed to an ongoing programme of community education and engagement, managed by Groundwork North East and Cumbria (GNEC) at the visitor and education centre, the energy-from-waste facility, and through outreach activities held in local schools and community settings.

Between April 2018 and the end of January 2019, over 6,500 local residents, children and young people, and community group members have taken part in waste awareness events, activities, and site visits.

A separate events programme for the dedicated Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) project with local schools and community groups formally closed at the end of January. Final project results are currently being prepared.

The Campground Community Liaison Group met on Tuesday 27 November 2018. The group were informed that the site is operating well and managing contract waste as expected. It was also noted that Sunderland Councillors had undertaken a site visit to both Jack Crawford house and the EfW. A presentation on the delivery of the dedicated Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) project was also provided.

The Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) contracts continue to be monitored closely by the joint partnership team. This includes processing payments, holding regular contract meetings and performance reviews, and Health & Safety site inspections at the various contractor facilities to ensure that recycling performance is maximised.

Table A at Appendix B (attached to the main report) highlights the total amount of materials collected by each authority between April 2018 and January 2019, broken down to demonstrate the paper collected separately in the inner box and the comingled materials collected in the main section of the blue bin. The overall recycling tonnages in each partner authority continue to fluctuate, but paper tonnages collected separately in the inner caddy have fallen again compared to the same period last year.

Table B at Appendix B (attached to the main report) highlights MRF recycling and recovery rates (for comingled materials only) since Quarter 1 2017/18. Recycling performance has generally remained at similar levels in Gateshead and South Tyneside. Sunderland City Council’s recycling rate has improved slightly in the latest quarter and they continue to identify actions to help increase their recycling rates and reduce contamination (shown as recovery in the table) rates.

The Joint Executive Committee were also advised that a recycling trial commenced in February on a single collection round in both Gateshead and South Tyneside. This enables around 2,400 households to recycle paper and cardboard materials together in a separate, additional, wheeled bin. Initial monitoring and sampling of the trial data suggests that residents are actively taking part and the quality of the paper and card picked up on the first collection day was extremely positive.

Although the trial is taking place in Gateshead and South Tyneside, the results will benefit all three partner authorities and will be used when evaluating future service delivery models.

Appendix C (attached to the main report) highlights the latest HWRC recycling performance (April – December 2018).

Recycling performance at the sites remains at a similar level to the previous year. However, recycling performance at Cowen Road (Gateshead) and Beach Street (Sunderland) is currently slightly below the annual target, although this may change once the statistics for the full year are received. The performance at Beach Street could still be affected by the introduction of fortnightly collections in 2017.

All HWRC contractors continue to explore whether additional materials disposed at sites can be recycled and further improve recycling performance.

The partner authority HWRC contracts SUEZ and Remondis are set to expire at the end of March 2020. The joint partnership team has begun discussions with partner authorities to consider contract requirements facilitate next joint procurement process which will be delivered later in 2019.

The current contract periods are scheduled to end in March 2019. However, it has been agreed that the contracts for all three partner authorities will be extended for a period of 12 months from 1 April 2019.

Contract management meetings continue to be held with service providers at the various facilities, which also include Health & Safety site inspections. The garden waste kerbside collection service will resume in April 2019 in all three partner authorities.

RESOLVED -              that the Joint Executive Committee noted the contents of the                                  report.