Agenda and minutes

No apologies were received.

Members are reminded that if they have a pecuniary interest in any matter being discussed at the meeting they must declare the interest.  They may not take part in any discussion or vote on a matter in which they have a pecuniary interest.

RESOLVED: There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2017 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

Members received a report which provided an update on the financial position of the Authority, the key operational performance indicators and delegated financial decisions.

Members welcomed the reduction in residual waste.

RESOLVED: That (1) the current financial position in 2017/18 and Key Performance Indicators be noted;

(2) the financial decisions taken under the Scheme of Delegation to Officers be noted.

Members received a report, including a confidential appendix, which set out the proposed 2018/19 budget.

Jay Patel, Head of Finance, reported that the budget before Members was unchanged from the draft budget previously considered in December. The report included the feedback received from the boroughs Finance Directors.

The Chair advised that he would circulate a report on the food waste contract to Members for their comments/input the following week.

RESOLVED: That (1) the 2018/19 budget be approved;

(2) the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) rates, as set out in section 14 of the report, and resulting PAYT levy of £46.7m be approved;

(3) the Fixed Cost Levy (FCL) of £12.2m, as set out in section 15 of the report, be approved;

(4) the recommended trade waste prices, as set out in section 16 of the report, be approved and the Treasurer be authorised to change these in year should the need arise;

(5) it be noted that there were no new proposed capital budgets, section 17 of the report refers;

(6) the target level of reserves of £4.2m to act as a buffer for managing risks and avoiding supplementary levies, as set out in section 18 of the report, be approved.

Members received a report which provided the treasury management plan for 2018/19.

Jay Patel, Head of Finance, outlined the content of the report and advised that he would report back to the Authority once the new CIPFA requirements were clarified.

RESOLVED: That (1) the treasury management plan for 2018/19 be approved;

(2) the prudential indicators and minimum revenue provision, as set out in section 3 of the report, be approved.

Members received a report which provided an update on the Authority’s various waste treatment arrangements and procurements.

Ken Lawson, Contracts Manager, outlined the content of the report and Chair indicated that he hoped to reach a decision on the food waste contract with the Managing Director the following week following consultation with Members.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

Members received a report which provided an update on the Authority’s operations.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

Members received a report which provided an update on the delivery of projects in the 2017/18 Waste Minimisation Plan.

In response to a question as to how the boroughs could promote the nappy scheme, Roger St Paul, Senior Waste Minimisation Officer, advised that the service covered each of the constituent boroughs but that Authority was also looking to engage with the Children’s Centres next year. Emma Beal, Managing Director, added that there would be a focus on Children’s Centres, Primary Care Trusts, NCT or NHS groups that nappy kits could be loaned to and who would able to promote the scheme on the Authority’s behalf. Consideration would also be given to a Borough trial of a weekly payment scheme for the kit for those who could not afford a one-off upfront payment. Members expressed their support for this approach and suggested that volunteers within such organisations would be well placed to assist.

RESOLVED: That the progress of activities so far in 2017/18, as set out in the appendix to report, be noted.

RESOLVED: That the confidential appendix be noted.