Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Delyth Jones.

None.

To appoint a Vice Chair of the Communities Scrutiny Committee for 2023/2024 municipal year.

Nominations for the appointment of Vice Chair were sought from Members.

Councillor Karen Edwards was proposed and seconded for the position of Vice Chair. There being no other nominations it was-

RESOLVED: that Councillor Karen Edwards be appointed as Vice Chair of the Communities Scrutiny Committee for the ensuing Year.

No items of an urgent nature had been raised with the Chair or the Scrutiny Coordinator prior to the commencement of the meeting.

To receive the minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on 04 May 2023 (copy enclosed).

The minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee meeting held on Thursday 4 May 2023 were submitted.

Matters Arising-

Members questioned if there was a start date finalised for the Flood Task and Finish Group meeting. The Interim Head of Service for Highways and Environmental Services informed Members that they were currently in the process of setting up meetings with Member Area Groups (MAGs) to seek nominations for their respective areas.

RESOLVED: that, subject to the above, the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 4 May 2023 be received and approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

To examine in detail the updated Waste Collections Policy. The progress of the new service roll out - specifically the impending implementation of the new AHP Service and update to waste service changes for non-standard households.

The Lead Member for Environment and Transport introduced the Waste Remodelling update to Members.

The new Waste Collection Service had been in planning for a number of years and was being introduced to enable Denbighshire to reach the new statutory target of recycling 70% of household waste set by Welsh Government. It was vitally important that the new service was introduced to contribute to tackling climate change.

It is anticipated that construction of the new waste depot in Denbigh will be complete by the end of Autumn 2023, with the new Waste Service being rolled out from March 2024 (subject to receiving the necessary licence from Natural Resources Wales to enable legal operation from the depot). There were also financial benefits to the new Waste Service being rolled out due the cost of collecting recycling from blue bins under the current service significantly increasing.

The Corporate Director: Economy and Environment stated that the report (previously circulated) provided Members with the opportunity to scrutinise the updated Waste Collections Policy. In addition, it provided updates regarding the roll out of the new Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHP) service and the changes for non-standard households.

The report also included details of the current Waste Service and the new Waste Service.

Members were advised that:

·       The new Waste Service had an anticipated roll out date from March 2024. However, this was subject to receiving the necessary licence from Natural Resources Wales to enable legal operation from the depot.

·       From Autumn 2023 the new AHP Service would be rolled out to a targeted pilot area covering the LL16/ LL17 postcodes. The areas would capture around 1000 subscribers, providing a mix of rural, town and urban areas prior to the whole County roll out when the main service change took place in 2024.

·       Denbighshire had several households on a `non-standard service` i.e. either a communal or sack service. This was due to vehicle access issues and the properties container storage spaces being limited. The non-standard households in Denbighshire were being reviewed.

·       The new Waste Service Model agenda item would be returning to the Communities Scrutiny Committee in October 2023 to discuss further details of the main service roll out.

Members had previously received detailed explanations on the new Waste Service, the roll out and the new services incorporated within it, therefore the Corporate Director opened the discussion to Members in agreement with the Chair.

The Chair thanked the Corporate Director: Economy and Environment for their update and questions were welcomed from Committee Members.

Members asked whether Officers were engaging with Town, City and Community Councils to demonstrate how the new trolley boxes would work. It was felt that this would aid the understanding of residents when the new service was rolled out. The Waste and Recycling Manager informed Members that the new Waste Service agenda item had been scheduled to go to all MAG meetings then further discussions would be held with the Project Team. The Corporate Director informed members that they would work on the detail of engaging with Town, City and Community Councils and inform Members in due course.

Members queried the rules and regulations of the new Waste Service and questioned whether fixed penalty enforcement would be used if residents did not comply. Members also asked how many penalty notices were issued under the existing Waste Service Model. The Waste and Recycling Manager informed Members that there were very few penalty notices distributed under the current service. There was a focus on behavioural change rather than fixed fines.  

At this juncture, the Chair paused the meeting to allow the Project Manager: Strategic Planning to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

 The Scrutiny Coordinator guided members through the Communities Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme report (previously circulated).

The next meeting was scheduled for 7 September 2023, proposed for that meeting were two agenda items.

                        I.         Engagement with Care Forum Wales, an opportunity to discuss the report before it is presented to Cabinet in November and

                      II.         The Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment review.

Appendix 2 contained a copy of the Member Proposal Form. Members were encouraged to complete the form with any items they thought merited consideration.

Appendix 3 to the report was the Cabinet’s Forward Work Programme should the Committee like to scrutinise forthcoming issues.

Appendix 4 to the report was a list of Committee representatives on the various Service Challenge Groups. Following the standing down from Communities Scrutiny Committee of Councillor Pauline Edwards a new representative was required for the Planning, Public Protections and Countryside Services Service Challenge.

Councillor Jon Harland had previously expressed an interest in that Service Challenge Group and was subsequently proposed, seconded and appointed the Communities Scrutiny Committee’s representative.

RESOLVED: that-

(i)             Councillor Jon Harland be appointed as the Communities Scrutiny Committees representative on the Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Service Challenge Group and-

(ii)            The forward work programme be received and noted.

Councillor Karen Edwards was thanked for attending a recent meeting of Public Protection and Countryside Services at short notice.

Councillor Edwards informed Members that the Service Challenge Groups were very informative. The meetings gave Members the opportunity to have thorough conversations with officers and Head of Services and questions could be asked and answered.

The action notes from the meeting would be circulated to those in attendance and it was agreed that the new representative for the Service Challenge Group would feedback to the Committee at the next meeting.

Councillor James Elson informed Members that there was a meeting for the Capital Scrutiny Group on the 7 June 2023 and they will request the minutes from the meeting and feedback to Members at the next meeting in September.

The Corporate Director informed Members that there had been two Service Challenge Groups held so far and it was pleasing to hear that Members were finding them beneficial.

Meeting concluded at 10:50am