Issue - meetings

Household kerbside recycling collection services across Bournemouth conurbation have been contracted to Urbaser Ltd since April 2016.

As part of contractual review discussions Urbaser Ltd have indicated that a consensual early termination of the contract is achievable.  All other waste collection services for BCP Council are in-house direct delivered.

The creation of BCP Council and the need for a single revised waste strategy finds this to be an expedient time to review collection methodology across the conurbation and understand the financial implications of the options put forward including in-house service delivery.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)          Subject to receipt of formal confirmation by Urbaser Ltd to cease pursuit of legal challenge against BCP Council for back costs pay claim.

Cabinet is asked to approve Option 2:

Option 2 - Termination of contract, bring the service in-house, and use prudential borrowing (approved for Priority Fleet Replacement Plan) to finance procurement of 8 new vehicles to support service delivery.

(b)         Cabinet is asked to note that a separate paper on implications of this decision on the approved Priority Fleet Replacement Plan will be brought to Council in June 2020.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Climate Change & Environment

Reason

The refuse & recycling collection service is one of the main statutory activities carried out by the Council on behalf of its residents and businesses and directly impacts upon the lives and well-being of each member of the community on an on-going basis.

By taking the service in-house it will ensure that

a)    The service is safeguarded from failure, Urbaser Ltd have expressed a strong preference to ending the contract, are currently operating a failing fleet that is consequently requiring increasing levels of support from BCP Council.

b)    Removal of impending legal challenge and associated costs relating to a financial claim raised by Urbaser Ltd.

c)    BCP Council has direct control of its full waste collection operational services

d)    Increases the opportunity to incorporate the recycling service into existing round structures and explore earlier future rationalisation across BCP Council operating area.

e)    Prudential borrowing approach to financing fleet needs is in line with current BCP Council fleet financing & procurement methods and ensure a future sustainable replacement programme is achievable.

f)     Vehicles will fit standardised BCP Council fleet ensuring service continuity across all council areas and collection services.

g)    Vehicles to be serviced inhouse keeping resource with BCP Council.

This item was restricted by virtue of paragraph(s) 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Environment presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'K' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet were requested to consider the bringing in house of the recycling service. In relation to this Cabinet were advised that the creation of BCP Council and the need for a single revised waste strategy finds this to be an expedient time to review collection methodology across the conurbation and understand the financial implications of the options put forward.

To consider the following environment related report scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 18 March:

·                Kerbside Recycling Collection Service (Bournemouth)

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the reports and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Felicity Rice, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change.

The Cabinet report will be published on Tuesday 10 March and available to view at the following link: https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=285&MId=3727&Ver=4

Before the Board considered the following item, it was moved and seconded that:

“under Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act
1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items
of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of
exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 in Part I of
Schedule 12A of the Act and that the public interest in withholding the
information outweighs such interest in disclosing the information.”

Voting – Unanimous

The Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Environment presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Overview and Scrutiny Board were requested to consider the proposals to bring the recycling service across the historic Bournemouth area in-house. The Board were advised that the creation of BCP Council and the need for a single revised waste strategy meant that this was an expedient time to review collection methodology across the conurbation and understand the financial implications of the options put forward.

RECOMMENDED that Cabinet approve Option 2, as set out in the report.

Voting: Unanimous

Note: Following the consideration of this confidential item, members of the public and press were invited back into the meeting.