Agenda item

The Ambassador and Executive Member for Shared Services submitted a report setting out proposals for a shared Waste and Street Cleansing Service with North Herts District Council (NHDC).  The Head of Environmental Services and Leisure provided a summary of the report.

The Head reminded Members of previous decisions resulting in the current proposals. Specifically, he referred Members to Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted, for the results of that detailed work. He stated that the ‘Strategic Outline Case’ (SOC), considered by the Committee last year had provided a high level assessment of likely risks, costs, savings and outcomes and short-listed options for further evaluation. This had shown that there were potentially significant savings to be made from a shared service.  The more detailed report presented indicated greater savings than previously estimated, totalling £707,000 per annum for both Authorities, of which £213,000 would accrue to East Herts Council.

Members were advised of the detailed guiding principles of a shared service for waste and street cleansing as well as the main drivers behind this approach.  The main advantage would be efficiency savings without a reduction in the quality of service provided by either Authority.

Members were advised of the detailed governance arrangements of the proposed shared service.  The Head stated that if the shared service was approved by both Authorities, then the procurement would commence in the autumn with a contract being awarded in spring 2017 to commence in May 2018.

In response to a query from Councillor K Crofton, the Head detailed the differences between the waste and street cleansing regimes at both Authorities.  He advised that there would be no problems in absorbing the differences within any new shared contract.

The Head confirmed to Councillor M McMullen that there were differences in the contractual costs in place at both Authorities.  He summarised some of the key differences and emphasised that the terms of conditions of all the contractor’s operatives involved were protected by the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE) regulations.

The Head responded to a number of other queries from the Committee regarding the recycling performance of NHDC and the amounts of the various types of waste produced in both Districts.  He stated that the current refuse trucks were the latest Euro 5 compliant diesel vehicles and technology was in use to monitor how they were being driven to maximise efficiency and save on fuel costs.

Members were advised that more fuel efficient electric and gas/diesel powered vans were on the road but the cost and efficiency of using such technology in large refuse trucks was currently questionable. 

The Committee received the report and recommended to the Executive that the implementation of a Shared Waste and Street Cleansing Service with NHDC and the procurement of a joint contract be approved.

RESOLVED – that (A) the report be received; and

(B)   the Executive be advised that Environment Scrutiny Committee supports the implementation of a Shared Waste and Street Cleansing Service with North Herts District Council (NHDC) and the procurement of a joint contract.