Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Sustainability

RESOLVED THAT

1. the findings from the review of the trade waste service be noted.

2. promotion of the service be continued so that the council keeps its market share.

1. an application to the Environment Agency be submitted aimed for completion within 2014/15 with regards to the Swindon Road site license so that further opportunities for trade recycling can be considered.

The Cabinet Member Sustainability introduced the report which set out the findings from the trade waste review which considered whether there were opportunities to grow the business in the current economic climate. 

The Cabinet Member explained that the council as the collection authority must recover its costs for the service but in setting charges it was not allowed to run a “for profit” service, but may make reasonable contributions to its financial overheads from the operation of the service. He reported that over the last five years income from trade waste had gradually declined, partly due to the recession so the review was conducted in order to establish the relative merits of expanding the service, disposing of the service or maintaining the service to establish the necessary steps to ensure the market share was maintained at a sustainable level. The Cabinet Member pointed out that the investment requirement for expansion would be considerable and at the same time would present some risks and implications for Ubico. The opportunity to sell the business had been examined but the one off estimated receipt would not be beneficial in the long run. By operating on a Saturday additional capacity would be provided to take on additional customers should the marketing of the service grow beyond what was available. In addition if the proposed amendments to the site licence at Swindon Road were accepted there should be an opportunity to expand the trade recycling service.

The Cabinet Member proposed to amend the second resolution to read “ To continue to promote the service so that the council keeps its market share”.

RESOLVED THAT

1. the findings from the review of the trade waste service be noted.

2. promotion of the service be continued so that the council keeps its market share.

3. an application to the Environment Agency be submitted aimed for completion within 2014/15 with regards to the Swindon Road site license so that further opportunities for trade recycling can be considered.