Agenda item

(A)     To note the comments from Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 20th June 2023;

(B)     To agree the updated waste service policy statements to come into force from May 2025;

(C)     To agree that each council leads on their own customer service provision with one set of processes for customer interactions being developed and agreed with a focus on resolution at the first point of contact;

(D)     To agree to further work to identify resources and costs to integrate the customer relationship management system with the waste management IT system; and

(E)     To agree to the proposed minor updates and changes to financial management and governance arrangements and subsequent minor changes to the Inter Authority Agreement outlined in Section 3.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability presented the Client Team and Corporate Support Arrangements for the Waste Shared Service.  He said the report had been presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 20 June 2023 and the proposals in the report supported the goals around digital transformation to ensure residents will receive a consistent service across the two districts of East Herts and North Herts. He said there were no major changes, each council will lead on its own customer service provision and there were some minor changes to the governance of the service as detailed in the report.

Councillor Dumont said that he was in his second term as a Member and said that the customer service of the waste service and contract created the largest volume of communication from residents. He said he welcomed the fact that there was a huge emphasis in the report on customer service and in streamlining the process.

Councillor Hoskin said customer service was a central theme of the report and to ensure that the customer service was similar across the two councils.

Councillor Glover-Ward asked whether it was possible to forewarn residents when streets were about to be cleaned. She had received feedback from residents that they have not been able to get their cars out the way in time.

Councillor Hoskin said he would speak to Officers and provide a written answer to the question after the meeting.

Councillor Goldspink said she welcomed the report and thanked the working group who gave up their time to produce the report. She said that she liked the principle that the two councils should work together as it would provide cost savings and best practice to the partnership. She also welcomed the paragraphs in the report that referred to proper engagement with the community to achieve a good service.

Councillor McAndrew said he also welcomed the report and said it was good to hear endorsement from various Members of the work that had been done. He said the Member workshops were intense but lots of ideas were brought together to streamline the future contract. He hoped that the IT systems at East Herts would be brought up to speed to enable the contract to move forward. He welcomed that East Herts would be taking on payment from customers in 2023.

Councillor Crystall thanked Councillor McAndrew for the work that was carried out when he was the Executive Member.

Councillor Hoskin proposed, and Councillor Brittain seconded

a motion supporting the recommendations in the report. On being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

          RESOLVED – that  (A) the comments from Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 20th June 2023 be noted;

(B)     the updated waste service policy statements to           come into force from May 2025 be agreed;

(C)     each council leads on their own customer service provision with one set of processes for customer interactions being developed and agreed with a focus on resolution at the first point of contact be agreed;

(D)     further work to identify resources and costs to integrate the customer relationship management system with the waste management IT system be agreed; and

(E)     the proposed minor updates and changes to financial management and governance arrangements and subsequent minor changes to the Inter Authority Agreement outlined in Section 3 be agreed.