Agenda item

To receive a report from the Deputy Chief Executive (S151) Officer on the remodelling of the Waste depot.

Cabinet had before it a report * from the Deputy Chief Executive (S151) Officer on the Waste Depot Remodelling.

The Cabinet Member for Service Delivery and Continuous Improvements outlined the contents of the report with particular reference to the following: 

·         The Environment Agency (EA) announced it was consolidating its permitting rules, with the aim of streamlining permitting processes and aligning them with modern standards. These changes would come into force on 19 June 2026. 

·         To comply with and meet the new requirements some significant changes were required to the Waste Depot; the main changes were the certain elements of Waste and Recycling required storing securely undercover with appropriate fire protection and security.

·         Therefore the Council must ensure the depot had sufficient capacity and space to ensure service delivery was legally compliant. The Council were proposing a reconfiguration and expansion of the operation and new buildings to house the materials.

·         This would enable the Council to build on and sustain the excellent performance it had achieved over the last two years, with Mid Devon now in the top 5% of national performance. With extra storage capacity, the depot would also be able to consider adding additional recycling streams in the future to add to its current collection portfolio. A report would be submitted to the Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement Policy Development Group (PDG) in September 2025 which would then come to Cabinet where future potential recycling options could be considered.

Discussion took place regards to:

·         Would those changes outlined allow the provision to start the nappy trial?

·         The good news about the ability to take more recycling, were there any ideas of those additional items.

·         Some of the issues were around the size of the lorries and the amount that they could take.

·         How much extra capacity with this investment?

·         For the future proof does this include the growth in housing.

·         If the Council were able to meet the deadline, could some of the trials be brought forward?

·         Would there be any impact on the existing service delivery during construction work?

·         Had the staff been consulted with regards to this proposal in regards to their thoughts?

·         Was it correct that the recycling lorries would be weighed in and out at the recycling centre?

·         Why were the full costs not included within the report? It was clarified that the full costs were included, but the specific recommendation for the office block was because it was a key decision on its own and the first stage of the process. Any other specific elements that were a key decision would be brought back to Cabinet for approval. How cost effective was this Council in regards to the other local authorities?

·         With the extra capacity how much was this in percentages and in comparison to other authorities?

RESOLVED that:

1.    Delegated authority be given to the Deputy Chief Executive (S151) to progress the works as planned. Noting that, any subsequent specific spend or contractual awards in line with key decisions thresholds would be brought back to Cabinet for agreement.

2.    The purchase of a new Modular Office complex, to be specified, up to the value of £250k be AGREED.

3.    The alignment of the leases of the various existing units to end on the same date as that recently agreed for the new car park site – 7 November 2039 be AGREED.

(Proposed by Cllr J Wright and seconded by Cllr M Fletcher)

Reason for Decision:

The EA published legal guidance that Waste and Recycling services need to both abide to and meet for its collection services to be permitted and carried out. Recycling services that do not comply with this guidance may be disrupted.

Note: *Report previously circulated