Agenda and minutes

To receive any opening announcements from the chair.

Co-Chair Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak opened the meeting and invited Deputy Chief Executive for Place to update committee on the delayed item on the future of the Future Oxfordshire Partnership (FOP), which was now likely to come to committee later once a paper was received.

To record apologies for absence and the attendance of substitute members. 

None.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Joint Scrutiny Committee minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2024 (document to follow as a supplement)

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting on 16 September were agreed as a correct record, and the chair would sign them as such.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, other registrable interests and non-registrable interests or any conflicts of interest in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

None.

To receive notification of any matters which the chair determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent.

None.

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

None.

To review the attached scrutiny work schedule. Please note, although the dates are confirmed, the items under consideration are subject to being withdrawn, added to or rearranged without further notice.

The committee noted the work programme.

It was mentioned that an item on Joint Air Quality Action Plan would likely be added for joint scrutiny in May 2025. Leisure Procurement Strategy will likely be added to a January meeting, which would need to be arranged.

Joint Scrutiny Committee is to consider a Cabinet report on the Future Delivery of Household Waste and Street Cleansing Services, noting the confidential appendices and offer any comments on the report.

Chair summarised the recommendations for committee to consider:

That the Joint Scrutiny Committee, reviews the Cabinet report, noting the confidential appendices and asks questions, then offers comments relating to the content contained within. The report asks that Cabinet:

(a) Reviews the options available for the future household waste and street cleansing service provision from June 2026, as set out in this report

(b) Subject to this review, agrees to progress Option 1 and delegate to the Head of Housing and Environment, in consultation with the responsible cabinet members, to undertake a joint procurement exercise between South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council to let a new joint contract for Household Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Services from 29 June 2026.

Chair reminded committee that discussion of confidential appendices would need to go into a confidential session if committee vote in favour.

Cabinet member for Environmental Services and waste for VOWHDC introduced the report. Cabinet member for Environment for SODC was also present. Officers present to support were the Head of Housing and Environment and the Environmental Services Manager.

This was a review of future delivery of the household waste collection and street cleansing services ahead of the contract end date for the Biffa contract in June 2026. The recommendation to go out and procure a new contract differs from the existing contract, in that the councils will provide and lease the street cleansing vehicles for service delivery to the new contract provider as well as an operational vehicle depot. There would be flexibility built into the contract for continual improvements and changes in service needed to adhere to the Environment Act 2021. There would also be clear responsibilities for residents to understand who to contact, as well as a focus on street cleansing service improvements. Joint Scrutiny Committee were welcomed to provide their views on the report before it was submitted to Cabinet.

Committee commented as follows:

·            Members noted they would prefer an appendix where links were not working.

·            There was a discussion about option three. It was explained that existing LATCos had been approached by officers but were not in the position to provide a costed proposal needed by South and Vale at this time.

·            Page seven, paragraph seven: regarding OCC responsibility, it was confirmed that both councils collect dry mix recycling (DMR) and how it was managed. In Oxfordshire, this was district responsibility and was not planned to change.

·            Paragraph 14, where it stated the business case was not strong for in-house, Head of Housing and Environment explained this sentence referred to a commercial waste collection service.

·            What was the timeline for contract details after deciding on the option? Cabinet member for SODC explained that by 2026 there was time for procurement to be carried out. Head of Housing and Environment explained that operational details such as the service specifications would not come back to committee ahead of a procurement process but the team would come back to committee with an update once the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

To consider whether to exclude members of the press and public from the meeting for the following items of business under Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that:

(i)     It is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A, and

(ii)    the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The committee voted in favour of excluding the public to discuss confidential appendices at 19:09.

Joint Scrutiny Committee may consider confidential appendices, if required by the committee.

Committee considered confidential appendices before returning to public session.