Agenda item

Report providing an overview of the performance dashboard development work undertaken to date, and the next steps to develop future performance reporting to the Committee

The Committee received a presentation to the Performance Dashboards report from the Cabinet Member for Commercial and Operations that had been revised in accordance to requests from the Committee. Data provided was up to date and afforded a guide of the work being undertaken, while recognising limited control over resident behaviour as well as not having control over those who provide private waste collection services.

Members raised a number of queries to the report with explanations provided by the Cabinet Member for Commercial and Operations as below:

·       Graphs demonstrated a multiplicity of figures between months that had demonstrated February being a consistently low collection month that seemed to be due to seasonal trends

·       The average 41.58% recycling rate was principally a result of green waste collection. Due to the level of single use plastics used in production and by supermarkets, plastic continued to be an issue

·       With an average of 250 contaminated bins a week, Members were assured that efforts were continuing by raising awareness through social media sites and improved understanding

·       Due to a change in recording by Lincolnshire County Council it was no longer possible to provide exact waste collection figures by authority. Figures for South Kesteven were calculated by subtracting from the County total

·       Members expressed concern over the impending loss of the Deepings’ private recycling facility at the end of January 2021 and raised the benefits of skips provided by local Parishes

A significant increase in fly tipping was raised by Members concerned by restrictions at recycling centres due to the pre-booking system implemented by Lincolnshire County Council. Members received assurance from the Cabinet Member for Commercial and Operations that he had and would continue to raise the issue at the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership with local councils having covered the cost of fly tipping rather than the County Council.

The Interim Street Care Services Manager and her team were recognised for their prompt action to deal with fly tipping.

In discussion, the Members also raised the Best Kept Village Award that had generated great enthusiasm across the District. An update was provided by the Cabinet Member for Commercial and Operations that plans were already in place for South Kesteven District Council to take responsibility to run the award for 2021. Members also raised:

·       The difficulty for those with dementia in using the correct bin and was advised of the assisted collection scheme provided by the Council. Additional means of providing clear advice would be considered

·       Challenges to the use of electric powered refuse collection vehicles were explained due to the level of mileage required within the District in comparison to more urban areas

Additional approvements to the dashboards were requested through the use of text and colour for increased clarity to demonstrate emissions as well as a baseline to determine longer term statistics. The limitation of a hardcopy presentation was recognised with a Member supportive to information becoming available online.

ACTION 2

1.    The Performance Lead to amend the performance dashboard to make it even clearer which period the figures and any averages relate to

2.    The Strategic Director Commercial and Operations to circulate to the Committee a list of fly tipping prosecutions within South Kesteven

3.    The Sustainability and Climate Change Officer to provide a list of innovative ways to reduce waste and encourage recycling to Members

4.    The Strategic Director Commercial and Operations to consider means of providing clear advice to residents on what can go in what bin which can be communicated to the public (including those with dementia)

A vote by exception was taken and carried to recommend:

Approval to the revised dashboards and continued support to the ongoing transformation of performance reporting.