Decision details

To approve a “3 bin” approach for Leeds, including adding food waste to the list of items allowed in the brown bin together with the associated extension of brown bin collections to all year-round and to up to a further 70,000 households citywide;

Delegate the decision on the implementation and contractual arrangement for adding food waste to the brown bin to the Director of Communities, Housing and Environment, subject to affordability within existing budgets.

The Director of Communities, Housing and Environment submitted a report which provided an update on the relevant national policy, strategy and legislation; together with a strategy for managing household waste in Leeds in line with national ‘Simpler Recycling’ requirements and which would help Leeds residents to reduce the amount of waste they produced that was not re-used or recycled. The report also sought approval for the proposed way forward for kerbside collection of household waste in Leeds through a “3-bin” approach, which looked to provide residents with the opportunity to recycle more at home without the need for more bins.

In introducing the report, the Executive Member highlighted the key points and recommendations within it, emphasising the proposal to approve the “3-bin” approach towards kerbside collection of household waste which would include the addition of food waste to the list of items allowed in the brown bin,a development which would enable that service to be extended to all year-round. The successful addition of glass bottles and jars to the list of items recycled in Leeds through the green bin was highlighted, with the increase in recycling rates of these materials from 42% to 69% since 1 August being emphasised. It was also noted that the report presented information regarding the refuse service’s current performance and the actions being taken to address associated challenges.

In considering this report, and in response to a series of related enquiries raised, the Board received updates on:-

-  the current position regarding the citywide roll out of brown bin provision; 

-  the potential timeline for the introduction of food waste to the brown bin, dependant on procurement outcomes and subject to affordability;

-  the resourcing of an all-year round brown bin collection;

-  the latest position regarding the provision of Government funding, with it being noted that whilst not all information was currently available with regard to such funding, the approach presented within the report was being proposed in order to progress the waste strategy whilst further detail from Government was awaited;

-  the current position regarding the progression and implementation of the city-wide collection route review.

Responding to a Member’s specific enquiry, the Board was provided with further information and clarification regarding the Performance Indicator (PI) on bin collection rates. It was noted that this PI was made up of the number of residents who contacted the Council to report their missed bins, and that it did not include the ‘end of day’ report which the Council produced parallel to this PI, in order to avoid the double counting. It was acknowledged that whilst not 100% accurate, this approach did provide a robust indicator of the service’s performance.

Responding to the information provided, a Member raised their concerns regarding the accuracy of the PI results and requested that the reporting process be reviewed. Further context was then provided to Members on the scale and complexity of the refuse service across the city, the service’s high level of performance, the main logistical reasons for missed bin collections and how Leeds’ well established PI processes were consistent with the national approach and which had been used as the Council’s PI for missed bin collections since 2001.

Responding to the concerns raised, the Executive Member offered to provide the Member in question with further information on the matters discussed, if required.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the updated national position in relation to implementing the national Resource and Waste Strategy, revised/new recycling collection requirements, as set out in the Environment Act (2021) and the associated Simpler Recycling policy, be noted;

(b)  That the progress made so far in Leeds in meeting the Simpler Recycling requirements; including the recent introduction of glass bottles and jars as items now accepted in the green, household recycling bins, be noted;

(c)  That the “3-bin” approach for Leeds, including adding food waste to the list of items allowed in the brown bin, together with the associated extension of brown bin collections to all year-round and to up to a further 70,000 households citywide, be approved;

(d)  That the decision on the implementation and contractual arrangement for adding food waste to the brown bin, be delegated to the Director of Communities, Housing and Environment, subject to affordability within existing budgets and procurement timelines;

(e)  That the current performance of the refuse service and the actions taken to address the challenges in delivering the second largest household collection service in the UK, as set out in Appendix C to the submitted report, be noted;

(f)  That it be noted that the Director of Communities, Housing and Environment will be responsible for the implementation of such matters detailed in the resolutions above.

(Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.5, Councillor A Lamb required it to be recorded that he abstained from voting on the decisions referred to within this minute)

Proposed strategy was presented to:

Environment and Communities Scrutiny Board (19^th September 2024)

Climate Emergency Advisory Committee (23^rd September 2024).