Agenda item

Toconsider,in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13, thefollowing Notice ofMotion tobemoved by Councillor Crowand seconded byCouncillor Jaggard

The Council considered the Notice of Motion 2 ‘Motion on Supporting the Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy’ as set out in the Full Council’s agenda. The Motion was moved and presented by Councillor Crow and seconded and supported by Councillor Jaggard. Councillor Crow in presenting the Motion commented on the Labour Amendment that he would accept the amendment and as such it became the substantive Motion.

During the debate on the Substantive Motion Councillors, Lamb, B Burgess, Burrett, Thomas, Cheshire, P. Smith, and Jaggard all spoke. Councillor Crow used his right to reply to speak at the end of the debate.

RESOLVED

In December 2018 the government launched their Resources and Waste Strategy, which sets out how government will:

·         ensure producers pay the full net costs of disposal or recycling of packaging they place on the market by extending producer responsibility – up from just 10% now

·         review producer responsibility schemes for items that can be harder or costly to recycle including cars, electrical goods, batteries and explore extending it to textiles, fishing gear, vehicle tyres, certain materials from construction and demolition, and bulky waste such as mattresses, furniture and carpets

·         introduce a consistent set of recyclable materials collected from all households and businesses, and consistent labelling on packaging so consumers know what they can recycle, to drive-up recycling rates

·         ensure weekly collections of food waste, which is often smelly and unpleasant, for every household – restoring weekly collections in some local authorities. This will be subject to consultation which will also consider free garden waste collections for households with gardens, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfill

·         introduce a deposit return scheme, subject to consultation, to increase the recycling of single-use drinks containers including bottles, cans, and disposable cups filled at the point of sale

·         explore mandatory guarantees and extended warranties on products, to encourage manufacturers to design products that last longer and drive up the levels of repair and re-use

·         introduce annual reporting of food surplus and waste by food businesses. Should progress be insufficient, consult on introducing mandatory targets for food waste prevention

·         clamp-down on illegal movements of waste at home and abroad by introducing compulsory electronic tracking of waste, and tougher penalties for rogue waste crime operators if they mislabel their waste to dodge tax rules.

This Council welcomes the strategy which focusses on the environmentally friendly waste principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, and resolves to:

1.            Continue to work constructively with central government, West Sussex County Council and other District and Borough Councils to implement the government’s waste strategy. 

2.            Continue to support the three principles to reduce waste in order of priority: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

3.            Continue to work to improve the amount of household waste that is recycled rather than going to landfill.

4.            Set up a cross-party member working group at an appropriate time, to look at options to improve household waste collections and to reduce waste going to landfill, with consideration given to a dedicated food waste collection.