Agenda item

The Vice-Chair introduced the report and highlighted that the LGA had an opportunity to influence the agenda on the future of waste and recycling in relation to two developments; the first concerned meeting the existing EU recycling target, which the UK was not currently on course to achieve, and the second was to influence the next set of EU legislation which was currently being revised following the recent withdrawal of European Commission proposals. The Vice-Chair commented that the LGA was working with WRAP to support and improve councils in meeting recycling targets, but there should be a whole system approach to reduction.

The Board discussed the report and in particular the following points:

·         Councils which already were achieving a high level of recycling could be penalised if the UK did not meet waste and recycling targets.

·         The Government and EU colleagues should be lobbied to explain that councils should be able to decide to collect waste in whichever way was most appropriate for their area, and that there should be an emphasis on outcomes rather than operational detail.

·         A redistribution of Landfill Tax back to Councils would be welcomed, as would revision of requirements on packaging, and there should be increased local and national communications on these issues.

·         Councils should be given greater incentives for reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and improving recycling rates.

·         Councils should be encouraged to use new technologies to deal with waste.

·         There should be a reduction in the amount of waste which was exported from the UK.

Decision:

·         The Board agreed that the approach proposed in the report to influence the agenda on the future of waste and recycling services should be progressed.

·         It was also agreed that a delegation of Members and officers from the Board meet with colleagues at the European Commission to discuss waste matters.  Cllrs Mike Jones and Tim Moore would attend as representatives of the Board.

Action:

·         Meeting to be arranged with colleagues in Brussels to discuss the waste agenda.