DECISION

1.    Note the Reduction and Recycling Plan 2023-2025, Quarter 3 2023 Progress Report.

Action by:

HEAD OF OPERATIONAL SERVICES (R. WILLIAMS)

Environmental Services Improvement Manager (F.  Heyland)

Councillor Kabir Hussain (Cabinet Member for Environment and the Climate Emergency) introduced the report that reported progress on the Reduction and Recycling Plan (RRP) 2023-2025 approved by Cabinet in September 2023.   Councillor Hussain explained how the cross-cutting action plan drawn from the Council’s Strategic Plan and Tower Hamlets Waste Management Strategy was helping to deliver changes. Finally, Councillor Hussain summarised some of the recent communication and engagement activity which it was hoped would help to reverse a slight decline in the recycling rate from the previous quarter.

Simon Baxter, Corporate Director Communities, provided further detail. Simon asked the Mayor to recognise that recycling is a challenging area, but an improvement plan was in place and he was confident it would secure improvements. Simon explained how the nature of the borough presented unique challenges to recycling performance. He stressed there was much the Council could do to target recycling infrastructure and behaviour among residents in its own properties, but that much of the influence for this rested with  

social landlords, so he was drafting a letter on behalf of the Mayor to the Secretary of State,  inviting them into the borough to see the unique challenges and also requesting that the government consider introducing a statutory instrument to require all landlords (RSLs and private) and land owners to provide infrastructure for recycling and to include recycling provisions within their tenancy and lease agreements. He indicated should this be unsuccessful, the Council could consider introducing bylaws to achieve the same outcome.

Ashraf Ali (Head of Highways & Transportation), Richard Williams, (Head of Operations), Fiona Heyland, (Head of Waste Strategy Policy and Procurement, Public Realm) and Louise Houston, (Environmental Services Improvement Team Leader) provided further details on the work undertaken, planned and being considered to improve recycling performance in the borough.

Stephen Halsey, Chief Executive, welcomed the proposed action plan and drew the Mayor and Cabinet’s attention to proposed action #5, which officers explained was a proposed options paper on policy changes and introduction of new powers to enforce against undesirable behaviour.  Stephen asked that this work be expedited and its timescale reviewed.

Following a wide-ranging discussion on matters relating to recycling and waste, the following potential solutions were voiced by Cabinet members:

·         A focus on quick wins to realise the additional investment to be agreed as part of the 24/25 budget, is preferred.

·         Communications – continue work with partners including schools and faith groups to promote good behaviours. It was noted young people play a key role to influence recycling behaviour in households, but measuring the impact of communications work with schools was very challenging. A children-focussed online information resource could assist with this.  

·         More emphasis on BAME media outlets could provide additional value.

·         Garden waste – many individual house residents had yet to opt-in to the collections. Options were being explored for ground floor flats collections.

·         Improvements to the Council’s online waste and recycling information, which Cabinet members noted was very good.

·         Smarter joined-up working between the Council and front line roles on estates such as caretaking services in council-managed homes.

·         Incentivisation or reward schemes.

·         Greater use of recycling champions.

·         Food redistribution schemes, perhaps including app-based technology.

·         Working with housing partners and RSLs and leveraging influence from Tower Hamlets Housing Forum (THHF) to create synergies.

The Mayor welcomed the report and the innovative suggestions from officers and Cabinet members. He stressed that cleanliness of the borough was a major concern of residents and a key priority for his administration. He expressed hope that following the action plan and accompanying additional investment to be agreed at the Budget Council meeting, recycling rates would quickly improve.

RESOLVED that the Mayor in Cabinet:

1.    Notes the Reduction and Recycling Plan 2023-2025, Quarter 3 2023 Progress Report.