Agenda item

The Environmental Services Manager presented the Food Waste Collections Implementation report.

Members were advised that the requirement to introduce a separate food waste collection service had been established under the Environment Act 2021, with a compliance deadline of the end of March 2026. As part of the Act, the Government had committed to providing capital funding for vehicles and containers, together with ongoing revenue funding to support service delivery. Whilst capital funding had been received, the Government had delayed providing details of the ongoing revenue funding arrangements. Members were informed that no specific allocation for food waste collections had been identified within the Local Government Finance Settlement and there had been no significant increase in funding to support implementation costs.

It was reported that a number of local authorities had opted not to implement the service at this stage, including Wyre Forest District Council, due to concerns regarding funding.

The Committee was advised that Redditch Borough Council and Bromsgrove District Council had been working together to develop a joint service. A joint procurement exercise had initially been undertaken with Wyre Forest District Council because of limited depot capacity across the area and the intention to use a third-party provider to support delivery and share risk. However, following changes to the funding position, Wyre Forest District Council had withdrawn from the procurement process, meaning that the original proposal could not proceed.

As part of the Council’s financial planning, provision had been made within the Medium Term Financial Plan to address an anticipated shortfall in revenue funding. However, Members were informed that this funding would now be required to support the overall rollout of the service.

The Environmental Services Manager explained that the proposed approach would initially provide food waste collections to approximately fifty per cent of households in Redditch, commencing between late January and early February of the following year. Members noted that the collection vehicles had a lead time of approximately twelve months and were expected to arrive in December 2026. The service would therefore be introduced in phases, rather than being implemented across the whole Borough at once. This phased approach would enable the Council to ensure the service was operating effectively before extending it further.

It was highlighted that a number of local authorities, including Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, had implemented their services on a Borough-wide basis from the outset and had subsequently experienced significant operational difficulties. Members were advised that the phased rollout was intended to mitigate these risks, avoid disruption to existing recycling services and protect the Council’s reputation.

The report also outlined proposals for additional funding to support the eventual expansion of the service to all households. Members were informed that the Council was not currently compliant with its statutory duties in relation to food waste collections. However, commencing implementation would demonstrate progress towards compliance and reduce the risk of legal challenge. It was further noted that Government was not currently taking enforcement action against authorities that had yet to fully implement the service and that none of the Worcestershire local authorities were fully compliant at that stage.

The Committee was advised that the additional funding requirement identified within the report would enable the Council to recruit the necessary staff and deliver further collection rounds, with the aim of achieving full implementation of the service by summer 2028.

Members also noted that the delivery of food waste caddies would be undertaken by in-house staff. This approach was considered advantageous as staff had developed a detailed knowledge of the local area and would be able to support the rollout effectively from the outset.

Consideration was also given to the proposed leasing of land to support service delivery. The Committee was advised that the Council did not have sufficient space at its existing facilities and would therefore need to utilise privately leased land with sufficient space for vehicle storage and staff parking. Although efforts had been made to identify a single suitable site, negotiations were currently taking place in relation to two smaller sites which together would meet operational requirements.

Associated costs would be shared between Redditch Borough and Bromsgrove District Councils on a 60:40 basis, with Bromsgrove District Council meeting the larger proportion. The proposed lease arrangement would provide operational security whilst also recognising the uncertainty surrounding Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). A five-year lease with a three-year break clause was therefore proposed, providing flexibility to review requirements as LGR progressed and alternative sites potentially became available.

Following presentation of the report, Members had detailed discussions and made the following comments:

·       Concerns were raised regarding potential hygiene and odour issues associated with food waste collections, together with questions about where the collected waste would be processed and any impact on local communities. Members were advised that food waste would be transported to an anaerobic digestion facility operated by Severn Trent Green Power in Kinver. Food waste would not be stored overnight in vehicles or at operational sites except in the event of a breakdown, and no adverse impacts on local residents were anticipated.

·       The scheme would divert a significant proportion of food waste from the residual waste stream, reducing the volume sent for incineration. Approximately thirty per cent of the average household residual waste bin was estimated to consist of food waste.

·       Household participation rates remained uncertain and planning assumptions were based on a fifty per cent uptake rate, reflecting national experience. A communications campaign, including letters and social media activity, would support the rollout and encourage participation.

·       The initiative also aligned with wider waste minimisation objectives by encouraging residents to reduce food waste and maximise recycling.

·       It was noted that disposal arrangements had only recently been finalised once implementation timescales became clearer. Whilst the preferred treatment facility had limited remaining capacity, local authority food waste was generally preferred by operators due to its varied composition and so would be prioritised.

·       The phased implementation approach was welcomed as it would allow operational issues to be identified and resolved before the service was expanded Borough-wide. Lessons could also be learned from the experiences of other authorities that had encountered difficulties with full-scale implementation from the outset.

·       The Chief Executive advised that correspondence had been submitted to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) outlining the Council’s circumstances and demonstrating that all reasonable efforts were being made to comply with statutory requirements.

·       It was emphasised that the implementation timetable set out in the report should be adhered to.

·       Members were informed that food waste collections would take place on a weekly basis. Residents would receive a seven-litre kitchen caddy and a twenty-three-litre external food waste container, with food waste collected on the same day as residual waste.

·       Existing assisted collection arrangements for elderly and disabled residents would be extended to include food waste collections, with further information to be provided as part of the communications campaign.

·       Flats and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) would be included in a later phase of the rollout to enable lessons learned from the initial implementation to be applied.

·       The external food waste containers would be fully sealed and fitted with locking lids to minimise spillages and reduce the risk of pests.

·       The Council would provide food waste liners, with an initial supply delivered alongside the caddies and further supplies available on request rather than through blanket distribution.

·       Providing liners was intended to increase participation and reduce concerns regarding cleanliness of kitchen caddies. Experience from other authorities indicated that the provision of liners resulted in higher usage rates. Approximately £8,000 had been allocated for the initial supply of liners, with a further £5,000 to £6,000 earmarked for future distribution.

·       The liners would be manufactured from a plastic polymer rather than compostable material, as this was the preferred option at the treatment facility. Compostable liners could also interfere with processing and had a shorter storage life.

·       Members noted that the proposed approach reflected a model that had been successfully adopted by a number of authorities nationally.

NOTED the progress made on food waste collection implementation.

RESOLVED that Authority be granted to the Assistant Director for Regeneration and Property Services to negotiate and finalise the terms of the lease for land identified to operate food waste collections from.

RECOMMENDED that an allocation of additional ongoing revenue of £376,311 for the expansion of the food waste collection service from 2027/28 is considered as part of the Medium-Term Financial Plan, with any decision deferred until the full financial implications are assessed alongside wider funding priorities through the budget process.