Agenda item

The Committee considered the following report:

            “1.0       Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       To provide an update report  to  the People and Communities  in relation to the decision  taken at the meeting held on 8th September 2020, namely:

            ‘The Committee agreed that a report would be submitted to a future meeting which would detail potential options, including costs, for Belfast City Council (BCC) to enter into a Service Level Agreement with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) in respect of the disposal of waste by residents of the Colin area of Belfast at the Cutts Recycling Centre within the LCCC District.’

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee are asked to

·         Note the update report

3.0       Main report

            Background

3.1       As a direct result of the initial outbreak of Covid-19 in March 2020, all but essential services across Northern Ireland’s 11 Councils, including Belfast City Council (BCC) were suspended. This included the closure of Household Recycling Centres and Civic Amenity Sites. Once clarification and assurance was received from Central Government as to whether journeys to disposal sites were allowed under the ‘Essential Travel’ Guidelines, BCC reopened their sites with revised operating arrangements, designed with consultation with all internal stakeholders including Trade Unions to agree safe working practices and Covid-19 risk assessments.

3.2       Similar to other Councils, BCCs arrangements included measures to control access to these sites to maintain control and adhere to social distancing measures which in turn gave protection to staff and members of the public alike. Again, like other councils, these measures included restricting access to Household Recycling Centres to individual council residents.

3.3       Initially 100% identity checks were carried out by additional front of house staff, but as demand on the Belfast HRCs has settled, and control measures such as the booking system for Commercial type vans and trailers has been introduced, a more pragmatic approach has been adopted.

3.4       Each of the 11 local councils have taken similar but individual approaches to the re-opening and operation of their respective Household Recycling Centres and Civic Amenity sites. Each Council will have undertaken their own specific risk assessments as to how they will safely operate their individual sites. Differing approaches, arrangements and site specific Safe Systems of Work are to be expected between councils. These have been discussed during Council Waste Forum and TAGNI meetings between officers to benchmark and learn best practice from others during the current unprecedented difficult operating environment under which the collection of waste is carried out.

3.5       In respect to the operating procedures within Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC), the requirement to prove residence within their boundary in order to gain access to their HRCs, including the site at the Cutts, Dunmurry, has been maintained. This has led to Belfast City Council area residents who have tried to gain access the site in LCCC area being turned away.

            Main Update

3.6       Following the decision from the P&C Committee in September, the City Services Manager (Resources and Fleet) was able to contact his equivalent officer in LCCC. He in turn noted the BCC request to explore options and advised that he would discuss the matter internally and revert as soon as possible.

3.7       Subsequent to this, the City Services Manager (Resources and Fleet) received an email on 1st October outlining the LCCC position. The main points are outlined as follows:

·         The matter was discussed by the LCCC Chief Officer Team on 1st October and it was agreed that they could not be supportive of the proposal at this time.

·         LCCC have made a council decision to dedicate the use of its sites to their own residents

·         In their view, to open these sites to residents from another council would create many complications and could not be considered in isolation i.e. that sites adjacent to other councils would have to be made available to them too, which in turn would mean those other councils having to consider access to their sites where restrictions to residents only are in place.

·         LCCC advised ‘With the current societal and economic pressures being experienced by us all in these unprecedented times we need to manage our services and costs to best effect and to the benefit of our own residents, therefore to consider changing an adopted process which we are satisfied services our Council needs is unlikely to achieve LCCC political support which is necessary to advance your proposal.’

3.8       In conclusion, it was stated that on this basis LCCC could not progress the matter any further.

3.9       LCCC, in support of their position, included a copy of correspondence sent to BCC in July 2014 from NIEA and copied to the then Lisburn City Council, when discussions were being held specifically around the Cutts site and the possibility of shared use and shared responsibility for the waste post-RPA. NIEA was not supportive of the proposed arrangement at that time, and LCCC have stated that a number of their concerns expressed in the letter still remain valid.

3.10      This letter details the complications around entering into an arrangement around one site in respect for:

·         Licensing and regulation of the site

·         Statutory recording, tracking and management of waste under a joint arrangement.

3.11      In conclusion, the letter stated:

            ‘To conclude, it is NIEA’s view that the current situation where the operator of a CA sites is solely responsible for the waste is straightforward and clear. CA sites already exist near council borders that will be receiving waste from residents from different council areas and this has been accepted by all parties. The proposed approach would introduce a great deal of complexity into the system and increase the potential for errors for no obvious environmental benefit.’

            Financial and Resource Implications

3.12      Any potential change in service provision would have financial implications which would require assessment for both councils.

            Equality and Good Relations implications/Rural Needs Assessment

3.13      An assessment is not required at this time given the update only nature of the report.”

                                             The Committee noted the report.