Agenda item

(To receive a report by Matthew Michell, Senior Commissioning Officer (Waste))

Consideration was given to a report which summarised the contents, with regard to municipal waste, of the new Resources and Waste Strategy for England.  The report focused on the synergies between that national Strategy and the recently-adopted Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy (JMWMS) for Lincolnshire.  It was reported that all eight LWP partners had now formally adopted the JMWMS. 

Partners were advised that the report also set out how the objectives of those strategies were beginning to be enacted through the emerging JMWMS action plan, as well as how the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership could be involved in the consultations promised in the national Strategy.

Officers thanked all those that had participated in the project.

Partners were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         The Chairman thanked Matthew Michell, Senior Commissioning Officer (Waste), for all his work on the Strategy as it had been very well received by all authorities.

·         It was noted that officers had been tying up some loose ends on the Strategy with the officer working group, which could be shared with members if they wished.

·         Some hard copies of the Strategy would be produced, as this was a requirement of the SEA in the event that members of the public wanted to inspect the document.

·         Four consultations had been launched, and it was queried whether there should be a combined response from the Partnership, or individual responses from districts.  It was highlighted that the preferable option would be for both.  It was proposed that the Strategic Officer Working Group produce a response to all consultations on behalf of the partnership.  It was acknowledged that partners would have different views they would want to make clear.

·         LCC was keen to submit an individual response and the Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee had asked to input into the response.

·         It was highlighted that the closing dates for the consultations were either 12 or 13 May 2019 and the local elections would be taking place with on 2 May 2019.  It was queried whether this would cause an issue for getting a response agreed.

·         From the outset, the LWP had always tried to do what was best for the people of Lincolnshire.  However, this did not mean that every district had to do the same thing, Lincolnshire was a diverse county and there needed to be room for individuality.  One size did not fit all.  It was emphasised that there was no intention to force a common method of collection on everyone.

·         Officers attended the LWP and the Officer Working Group, and were there to be part of the conversation and part of the solution going forward.  South Holland District Council reported that they were willing to be part of the conversation.

RESOLVED

1.    That Lincolnshire Waste Partnership note the common themes of the respective Lincolnshire and national strategies and ensured that these were commissioned in the ongoing delivery of the strategic objectives through the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy Action Plan.

2.    That the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership responds to all relevant consultations arising from the Resources and Waste Strategy for England.

3.    That any Lincolnshire Waste Partnership partner authority making their own separate consultation response to address local issues considered how to align that response with the joint Lincolnshire Waste Partnership submission.