The Head of Environment & Leisure introduced the report as set out in the agenda papers.

The Chair invited Members to ask questions and make comments, and to focus on the scope and the proposals within the report.  Comments included:

·         Street cleansing should be included within the waste scrutiny process as there had been an impact on this due to the failure of residential waste collections;

·         the scope should be wide, and the timescale should go right back to the tendering/procurement process;

·         agreed that there should be no substitutes (for continuity), but concerned about the timeframe of the scrutiny process as it was during the holiday period;

·         the scope of the review should be set, but delegation given to the panel to expand it if appropriate;

·         a transparent scrutiny process was important, and Members needed to ascertain what went wrong, plus what also went right; and

·         suggested votes be recorded when the review was brought back to the Committee.

The Chair requested a show of hands to gauge Members views on whether, instead of the scrutiny review being presented to the 3 October 2024 Environment & Climate Change Committee meeting, an extraordinary meeting be arranged for November 2024 instead.  Members agreed with this approach.

The Chair referred to Appendix I to the report – the Waste and Street Cleansing – Scrutiny Review Scope and Members’ comments are set out below:

·         It was important to include vulnerable users/assisted collections, how the vulnerable were categorised and how this suited residents’ needs and suggested this was set out under ‘Resources/Staffing’ and ‘Data and rounds’;

·         communications on all levels needed to be included;

·         information on how well the waste contract staff were trained should be included in the scope;

·         it was important that the scrutiny process was cross-party and the process was not a ‘blame game’; and

·         suggested there be a dedicated section on the Members’ Team channel for shared documents/information on the scrutiny review.

The Head of Environment & Leisure explained that support would be available to Members during the review from the Policy & Engagement Officer.

The Chair summarised and Councillor Dolley Wooster moved the following amendments: 

·         That it be agreed that a scrutiny review be carried out that it would be presented to an extraordinary meeting in November 2024;

·         that the timescale of the review commenced at the start of the tendering process for the waste contract;

·         that the review included both the waste contract and street cleansing; and

·         that amendments to the scope of the review be permitted as appropriate. 

These were seconded by Councillor Julien Speed and agreed.

Resolved:

(1)      That a scrutiny review be carried out and it be presented to an Extraordinary Environment & Climate Change Committee (not the 3 October 2024 meeting).  Post meeting note:  the extraordinary meeting would be held on Wednesday 20 November 2024.

(2)      That the scope of the review be agreed and amendments to the scope of the review be permitted as appropriate. 

(3)      That the timescale of the review commenced at the start of the tendering process for the waste contract.

(4)      That the review included both the waste contract and street cleansing.

(5)      That the following five members (one from each political party) of the Environment & Climate Change Committee be nominated to form the Scrutiny Panel:

Councillor Rich Lehmann (Green)

Councillor Dolley Wooster (Labour)

Councillor Julien Speed (Conservative)

Councillor Chris Palmer (Swale Independents Alliance)

Councillor Hannah Perkin (Liberal Democrats)