Agenda and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be located at the following link:

http://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=439&MId=3655&Ver=4

Please note that if any changes are made to this minute at the point of approval, these will be outlined in the subsequent minute and this document will not be retrospectively altered.

The Sub Committee had before it the minute of the previous meeting of 6 October 2015.

The Sub Committee resolved:

to approve the minute as a correct record.

The Sub Committee had before it a report by the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which provided an update on the development of the Code of Practice on Household Recycling in Scotland and highlighted some of the potential implications for the Council.

The report recommended:

that the Sub Committee

(a)       notes the content of the report; and

(b)       provides feedback to officers which would help to inform the process and the ultimate decision on whether the Council would sign up to the Code of Practice.

The Waste and Recycling Manager spoke to the report and advised of potential difficulties of adopting the Code of Practice within the City due to type of housing and proposed methods of recycling within the draft Code.

The Waste and Recycling Manager advised that officers had responded with comments at the consultation stage, outlining perceived difficulties and also provided details of the current recycling provision within the City.  A response had not been received to date.

It was highlighted that should the Council adopt the Code of Practice in the long term that there would be financial implications due to changes in containers and systems that would be used.  It was also felt that the proposed systems of segregating all recycling by the householder with separate storage containers would be unduly onerous and likely to put off the uptake of recycling. It would also lead to an increase of different recycling vehicles circulating around the city with subsequent increase in traffic.  The system currently in use allowed for all recycling to be mixed and subsequently separated at the waste recycling centre.

Members also felt that the intention to standardise what could and couldn’t be accepted for recycling across Scotland was a welcome development, however the Code of Practice could prove too prescriptive with suggested methods of recycling to be widely accepted.  A localised approach taking in to account dwelling types, road layouts etc would be more practical.

Members finally discussed various issues surrounding packaging and the potential recycling benefits.

The Sub Committee resolved:

(i)         to request that Pete Lawrence circulate the officers’ response to the Scottish Government to members in due course; and

(ii)        to otherwise note the content of the report.

The Sub Committee had before it a report by the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which provided an update on the progress of the Zero Waste Project.

The report recommended:

that the Sub Committee agree the outcome of the review of the Energy for Waste (EfW) business case.

The Waste and Recycling Manager advised that Option Three – a large EfW facility which was to be Council financed was the preferred option to be developed in conjunction with Aberdeenshire and Moray Councils.

Reference was made to progress made in engaging with the Torry Community Council and that a Stakeholder Group had been formed which was due to meet on 8 December to discuss various issues surrounding the development of the waste recycling facility.

The Sub Committee resolved:

to approve the recommendation.

The Sub Committee had before it a report by the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which provided an update on progress of the Zero Waste Project.

The report recommended

that the Sub Committee note the content of the report.

The Waste and Recycling Manager advised that SITA had now signed the Waste Management Services Contract Variation and that the planning application was due to be considered by the Planning Development Management Committee on 10 December.

The timetable for the project would remain on schedule subject to the planning application being approved on 10 December 2015.

The Waste and Recycling Manager referred to the Draft Inter-Authority Agreement as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report and confirmed the contractual issues contained within the Agreement.

Pete also advised that in regards to Joint Working on Residual Waste Management, a report would go before Council on 16 December for consideration.

Members advised that they had been approached by a media student at RGU asking if members would be interviewed on the project as part of their degree course.  Councillor Morrison confirmed she would be meeting with the student and the Waste and Recycling Manager advised that he would also be able to attend.

The Sub Committee resolved:

(i)         to note that Councillor Morrison and the Waste and Recycling Manager would meet the RGU students; and

(ii)        to otherwise note the update contained within the report.

The Sub Committee had before it the meeting dates for 2016 as below.

Tuesday 23 February

Thursday 12 May

Thursday 30 June 2015

Tuesday 4 October

Tuesday 22 November

All meetings to be held at 2.00pm in the Town House.

The Sub Committee resolved:

to agree the dates above.

The Sub Committee noted that the next meeting was scheduled for 23 February, 2016.

- Councillor Jean Morrison MBE, Convener