Agenda item

To discuss the setting up and agree the terms of reference for a Task and Finish Panel regarding the Streetscene contract.

Members received an update from officers on the streetscene contract.  The following points were discussed:

• Urbaser are the councils streetscene contractor. The contract started in March 2020.
• Officers have proposed three meetings at three weekly intervals, but this can be discussed.
• Members said a number of streets in Hatfield and Hatfield Villages are yet to be adopted, these areas have a high number of missed bins. Members asked if officers could establish how many areas are yet to be adopted by Hertfordshire County Council.
• Members asked officers to look at the numbers of missed bins due to there being no access to the road.
• Members receive high contact from residents for things other than missed bins, such as bins not being returned properly; bins blocking the pavement; and paper recycling trays going missing.
• Members asked if there could be more put in place to help disabled residents with regards to bins being returned properly.
• Members asked that officers look at levels of complaints in certain roads to establish whether there is a specific reason for those continued issues.
• Members asked that we look at frequency of collections from recycling banks and asked if we can find out how many trucks Urbaser use as on occasions these banks are not emptied.
• Officers said that there are contractual reviews to ensure residents receive a good service and that penalties are included within the contract.
• Members said that rubbish in Hatfield Villages is an issue particularly around student accommodation and asked if officers could inform residents, by a leaflet drop and/or speaking with the university.
• Members asked whether recycling can be extended to flats. Officers said within the contract there is scope to include more flats. Officers are working on a pilot with Urbaser to look at enhancing recycling across some flats as it is currently not consistent across the borough. Once the new waste strategy is published there may be some funding available to pay for any service change at that stage. Officers will use this pilot to see what works.
• Members said there are currently no plastic recycling opportunities in flats and asked if it is possible to extend the trial for plastics. Officers confirmed they are looking at trialling plastics at some sites.
• Members asked that the trial uses some older blocks as these may be more difficult to service.
• Members said we should be inviting residents to the scrutiny and have the portfolio holder available.
• Members asked why there aren’t waste bins next to every bus stop and wondered if some of the street cleansing issues are due to there not being enough litter bins.
• Members said there is no recycling in WGC town centre, and as everything is put in one bin this could be the reason for rats in the town centre.
• Members said a number of residents have asked about cage days. Officers said this would sit outside the scope of this scrutiny and is not something that is within the Urbaser contract and is normally initiated by other services.

At the conclusion of the discussion, members were asked to confirm agreement of the scope for the T&F panel, which would report back to OSC in January 2023.

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1)   Members confirmed agreement of the scope for Streetscene, and for a T&F Panel to be set up.

(2)   That the Committee appoint a chair to the Streetscene T&F Panel via Teams, with nominations of members for the panel to follow.