Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. 

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

There was no urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 July 2012.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2012 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The following reports contain exempt information as defined in the following paragraphs of Part 1, Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

3 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Members are reminded that whilst the following item has been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them in private or in public. In making the decision, members should balance the interests of individuals or the Council itself in having access to the information. In considering their discretion members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

Should Members decide not to make a decision in public, they are recommended to pass the following recommendation:

“That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of that Act.”

Resolved

That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of that Act.

The Head of Finance and Procurement, the Head of Environmental Services and the Strategic Housing Manager will be present for this item.

This will be an opportunity for Members to receive an overview of the Environmental Services, homelessness and temporary accommodation budgets and frame recommendations to the Executive as part of the budget 2013/14.

The timetable for the budget scrutiny 2013/14 review is attached for Members’ information.

A private briefing note for Board Members on Environmental Services finances is attached for information. Officers are currently compiling information on homelessness and temporary accommodation budgets in light of the ongoing announcements regarding welfare reform and this will presented to Members at the meeting.

Recommendations

The Board is recommended to consider the information and frame appropriate recommendations for consideration by Executive as part of the 2013/14 budget.

The Chairman welcomed the Head of Environmental Services and the Head of Finance and Procurement to the meeting and explained that the Members would receive an overview of the Environmental Services and homelessness and temporary accommodation budgets and frame recommendations to the Executive as part of the budget 2013/14.

Environmental Services

The Head of Environmental Services advised Members that Environmental Services delivered many of the front line services of the Council including Waste Collection, Street Cleansing, Public Conveniences, and Landscape Management. These services were the services that the Council is most well known for amongst its residents and accounted for a significant percentage of overall Council expenditure. The overall revenue budget for Environmental Services for 2012/13 was £5.86 million

The Head of Environmental Services provided an overview of the restricted briefing note on Environmental Services finances which covered revenue and income within the service, future revenue and capital cost pressures and opportunities.

Waste Recycling

In terms of fuel costs for vehicles, Members noted that officers sought to address the rising cost of fuel through various means such as reviewing waste collection and street cleansing routes, purchasing more fuel efficient vehicles and stockpiling fuel.

The Board was advised that vehicle repair costs were kept under control, through better procurement, more robust vehicles and better maintenance practices. Additionally, the replacement cycle for replacing vehicles had increased from six years to seven years reducing capital requirements but repair costs had been kept under control.

In terms of compost gate fees, Members noted that following the introduction of a garden waste/food waste mixture collection in the brown bin, during late 2009/10, this was processed via a contract with Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) contract. At present CDC did not receive credits due to the waste/food mix. In the course of the discussion, the Board heard that some other local authorities in Oxfordshire offered a separate weekly food waste collection and received compost credits from OCC. In response to Members comments that regarding the financial viability of a weekly food waste collection in CDC, the Head of Finance and Procurement explained that preliminary calculations had indicated that the cost of implementing such a scheme would greatly outweigh any compost credits received.

Members commented that a potential source of income for the service could be through the collection of commercial waste and agreed that consideration should be given to this.

In response to Members’ queries regarding the feasibility of cross county waste collection routes, the Head of Environmental Services explained that there were opportunities for cross county working however there were also many difficulties due to dealing with disposal authorities and collection services being different. 

The Board was advised that future capital pressures included the replacement of green residual bins and future vehicle replacement programmes. Various options were currently under consideration.

The Board was advised that there were around 90 recycling banks in Cherwell which accounted for 6% of the overall recycling rate in the district. In response to Members’ questions, the Head of Environmental Services confirmed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

The Board is requested to resolve:

“That the press and public be readmitted to the meeting.”

Resolved

That the press and public be readmitted to the meeting.

Report of Head of Law and Governance

Summary

This report presents the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board work programme 2012/13 for consideration.

Recommendations

The Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board is recommended:

(1)               To consider the Resources & Performance Scrutiny Board work programme 2012/13 as set out at Appendix 1 of the attached report.

The Board considered a report of the Head of Law and Governance which presented the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board work programme 2012/13 for consideration.

Resolved

(1)               That the Resources & Performance Scrutiny Board work programme 2012/13 be noted.