To consider any questions submitted by Members.  (The deadline for questions is 4.30 pm on the Monday the week before the meeting – please contact Democratic Services by e-mailing democraticservices@swale.gov.uk or call 01795 417330).

The Mayor advised that seven questions had been received from Members, two of which were later withdrawn.

Question 1 – Councillor James Hunt

I have heard reports that the capacity of the new waste collection lorries are less than those which Biffa were using, resulting in additional trips to the waste transfer station, and ultimately, delays in collections.

Could you please confirm the capacity for refuse/recycling and food waste of the old waste lorries, and the new ones which the council have purchased, please?

Response – Chair of Environment and Climate Change

It is difficult to make a complete comparison as the vehicles were not under our control in the old contract and of course, there are multiple elements that have meant a variation of vehicles was required moving forwards. This included a response to more parked vehicles on our streets following the pandemic, future government waste legislation changes, and being required to tip food at an alternative location over three miles away. 

However, we have confirmed with Suez that the capacity on the current vehicles is likely to be more. Our old vehicles were ‘split back’ vehicles with 70% of the back compartment set aside for the main collection material (refuse or recycling) and 30% for food waste. Our new vehicles are standard single back compartments which are bigger than the 70% compartment on the old ones. The new food pods are smaller than the 30% compartment on the old vehicles, but the tonnages of food waste collected both now and then show that both have remaining capacity within them. Therefore, the benefit of the new vehicles is actually fewer trips to the waste transfer station, as there is more capacity for the main collection material.

The reports you have heard may have been in relation to early settings on the compaction rate in the vehicles. In each compartment are compactors to squeeze the material and create more space. Each vehicle has an adaptable compaction rate relevant to the type of material you are collecting. Suez were trialling different compaction rates in the early stages but now believe they are working to the optimal setting.

Supplementary

The response from Suez was vague, does the Chair of Environment and Climate Change consider there should be more detail?

Supplementary Response – Chair of Environment and Climate Change

I refer to the first line of my response that it is difficult to make a complete comparison as the vehicles used by Biffa were not under our control so it would be optimistic to expect Suez to know all the detail about those vehicles.

Question 2 – Councillor Charles Gibson

Does the council leader agree with the Liberal Democrat group that the council should

* set a date when people can expect the service to work properly

* Push Suez to compensate the community

* not pay Suez for work they haven't done?

Response – Chair of Environment and Climate Change

The Council has been working to a Recovery Plan throughout the disruption. It is difficult to put a finite date on the ‘day’ that service will get to ‘business as usual’ due to so many factors that can impact that. However, almost every collection cycle has seen improved collection rates, and we know the distinct areas that we need to work on to get to that end position.

Suez have acknowledged service levels have not been at the required standard during this period and have joined us in apologising to residents for the disruption. Their contract tender provided a range of commitments to give back to the community and we will ensure these are delivered at the relevant times.

The contract ties all parties into a range of commitments. We are contractually obliged to pay the agreed sums to Suez. They have provided the required resources to deliver the contract and therefore we will not be reducing any payments during the three-month grace period. This period, which is industry standard for new contracts, shows that we were expecting a level of disruption. It allows time for services to be tested, changes trialled and solutions found. But we will of course use our contractual rights now that we are outside of that position and performance deductions will be made in accordance with the contract.

Question 3 – Councillor Tara Noe

It was well over two months before drivers were able to locate rural and other hard-to-find properties in Sheppey East and other areas despite efforts to provide addresses, photos, and details.??Could the Committee Chair please explain what induction or other information was provided to ensure Suez were familiar with the local area before the contract started and why it took over 2 months to locate addresses? 

Response – Chair of Environment and Climate Change

Following the award of contract, Suez employed a ‘Mobilisation Manager’ and bought in a range of services from their corporate teams (HR/IT/Health and safety/Finance/Operations/Fleet etc). They received data on the existing rounds and undertook route risk assessments where applicable.  

Furthermore, the majority of the staff have transferred over from the old contract to the new contract. Therefore, Suez have utilised that local knowledge. As with any change of contract it is hard to access staff too much before the transfer, as they are working on delivery of the old contract collections right up until the day of transfer. However, Suez paid staff for a range of training events at weekends in the run up to the start of the new service.  

With the major re-routing of the rounds, it was also difficult to have all of the old crews servicing the same areas. This meant that the local knowledge has taken longer to share than expected. Furthermore, company working practices may differ and so new solutions have been needed for some harder to reach properties.  

Many of these issues have been resolved now, but we know there are some remaining that still need focus.  

Supplementary question – Councillor Noe

Why did it take two months to locate addresses?

Response – Chair of Environment and Climate Change

I share the frustration with this and there will be a full scrutiny review of the mobilisation period, and this will hopefully be answered during that process.

Question 4 – Councillor Mark Tucker

Things have gone wrong with the bin collections, that is plainly obvious. I have received numerous emails and spoken to various residents whilst personally emptying their bins. There has been pretty much no response or apology from the leader of this council when residents have complained via the various communication channels. Now is the time for the leader to make an apology to the thousands of Sheppey residents that this council has failed. Will the leader stand here this evening and make his apology this evening.

Since writing the question, the Leader has apologised but not to the thousands of Sheppey residents.

Response – Leader

Thank you for the question. I am of course very happy to apologise tonight to all residents affected (not just those in Sheppey) by the disruption to service since the contract began. I have seen the impact this has made on residents.

From an early point in the disruption, I have been personally apologising to residents that contact me directly.

Whilst it was right to go out in the name of the Environment and Climate Change Committee Chair, I was fully supportive of the public statement released jointly with Suez on the 11^th April. This followed a meeting I held with the Chief Executive of Suez where I expressed our concerns and requested we apologise.

As an organisation, we have had a banner running on our website, acknowledging the issues and have tried our best to describe what we are doing to bring service up to the required standard. 

I then jointly wrote a second apology via an open letter to residents on 28 May 2024 which was published on our website and social media.

Whilst we have seen marked improvements for many residents in recent weeks, I know there are some who remain affected by inconsistent collections, so again I make a sincere and heartfelt apology to all impacted.

Question 5 – Councillor Lloyd Bowen

Was the new waste contract discussed at any committee meeting of the Environment Committee since May 2023 and if so which members of the administration checked and agreed the processes that have been introduced?

Response – Chair of Environment and Climate Change

The decision to award the contract was last discussed at Environment committee on 19 December 2022. The Member Waste Working Group, which had cross party invite throughout the tender and then mobilisation phases, had regular updates on progress and steered the officer work on mobilisation, communications etc.

Two ‘All Member’ briefings were held on 25 September 2023 and 26 February 2024 in the run up to the new contract, which updated all Members including those on the Environment committee.

Supplementary – Councillor Bowen

Does the Chair of the Environment and Climate Committee think it is wise for a working group to not report back to its committee?

Response – Chair of Environment and Climate Change

I did not think it was un-wise for the working group to report back to the Committee and as stated in my previous answer, Member briefings were held which updated all Members including those Members of the Committee. The contract was created and awarded prior to this administration and Environment Committee Members had ample opportunity to be informed of the progression between the 2023 elections and the start of the contract.