Issue - meetings

(i)           to note the consultation undertaken with the Disability Equity Partnership (DEP) and other suggested consultees and the responses received;

(ii)          to instruct Chief Officers to request that all ALEOs who currently purchase fully flexible plastic drinking straws, purchase the identified Polylactic Acid alternative with immediate effect;

(iii)         to instruct the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services to amend the disposables suppliers purchase catalogues under their control, to remove fully flexible plastic drinking straws;

(iv)         to instruct Chief Officers to install simple “Drinking straws available if required” signs at all points of sale where liquids are available for purchase; the design and placement of these signs will be subject to further consultation with the DEP; and

(v)          to instruct Chief Officers to undertake consultation with the DEP, prior to the removal of any other single use plastic item, where the removal of that item may be discriminatory to persons with disabilities.

With reference to Article 7 of the minute of its meeting of 10 September 2018, the Council had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided an update on the results of the consultation which had taken place with the Disability Equity Partnership (DEP) and other consultees, and which advised that a procedure for ensuring people with disabilities can access a fully flexible plastic drinking straw would not be required, as there were now fully flexible Polylactic Acid (PLA) drinking straws available on the market.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          note the consultation undertaken with DEP and other suggested consultees and the responses received;

(b)          instruct Chief Officers to request that all ALEOs who currently purchase fully flexible drinking straws, purchase the identified PLA alternative with immediate effect;

(c)          instruct the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services to amend the disposables suppliers purchase catalogues under their control, to remove fully flexible plastic drinking straws;

(d)          instruct Chief Officers to install simple “Drinking straws available if required” signs at all points of sale where liquids are available for purchase; the design and placement of these signs will be subject to further consultation with the DEP; and

(e)          instruct Chief Officers to undertake consultation with the DEP, prior to the removal of any other single use plastic item, where the removal of that item may be discriminatory to persons with disabilities.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.