Decision details

Approval to amend household waste recycling targets in light of budgetary and market pressures and in line with statutaory targets.

Further to Minute No. 144, 14^th December 2011, the Director of Environment and Housing submitted a report providing an update on the Council’s recycling strategy and which sought approval to revise the Council’s household waste recycling targets in the light of current financial pressures and market related factors, and to bring them in line with current EU and national targets. In addition, the report also set out a strategy for ensuring a continued improvement in recycling performance through maximising existing services and infrastructure and also by increasing resident participation.

Members discussed the Council’s current policy by which approximately 80% of households received the alternate weekly recycling collection service and the criteria used to identify which areas received this service. The Board also considered how the proposed revisions to the recycling targets compared to the performance of other Core Cities, together with the EU and national target.

Discussion was also had on the innovative approaches currently being taken to improve recycling rates, and what further initiatives could be potentially developed, especially in those areas which currently did not receive alternate weekly collections, and it was requested that a further report on such matters be submitted to a future Executive Board.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the submitted report and the current context in relation to recycling performance, be noted;

(b)  That a revised target to recycle 50% of household waste by 2020 be approved, with the longer-term target to exceed 60% remaining unchanged;

(c)  That the medium-term strategy, as outlined in section 3.2 of the submitted report be approved, which will focus upon maximising existing capacity and infrastructure, and be supported by an effective programme of communications, engagement, enforcement and service improvement, but with the acknowledgement that there will be a requirement for residents to participate fully if the revised target is to be achieved; 

(d)  That approval be given to the expansion of recycling collections provision on an ‘opt in’ basis (in accordance with the Ash Road, Headingley pilot as outlined in 3.2.21 of the submitted report) in areas of the city where there is persistently poor recycling participation;

(e)  That approval be given to the removal of excess bins from the kerbside where households have more than the number for which they are eligible, as set out within the policy agreed by Executive Board in January 2014;

(f)  That a further report be submitted to a future Executive Board which provides information on the innovative approaches and bespoke solutions which have been and could potentially be undertaken across the city, with the aim of further improving recycling rates in Leeds.

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

Executive Member

Executive Member - Environmental Protection and Community Safety.