Minutes:
Councillor R. J. Laight, the Council’s representative on the Joint Integrated Waste Scrutiny Task Group, provided an update on the progress of the review. He explained that the first meeting of the group had not yet taken place as it had proved difficult to identify a suitable date when a majority of Members would be available. This meeting would now take place on 1st July. In the interim period Councillor Laight had developed some concerns about the review which included the following:
· Only one other district Council, Worcester City, had agreed to participate in the review with Worcestershire County Council. Councillor Laight therefore questioned the extent to which the review could legitimately and effectively assess the implications of a joint waste collection and disposal service for district Councils.
· Connected to this were concerns that many of the district Councils might therefore be disinclined to approve any recommendations from the group which could make the value of participating in the exercise questionable.
· The delays to the launch of the review would mean that the deadline would need to be extended which would take up time that could be spent on other scrutiny activities.
On the basis of these concerns Councillor Laight asked it to be noted that he was resigning from the Task Group.
The potential outcomes of the review were debated by the Board. Some concerns were raised in respect of the potential financial and administrative implications of entering into a shared waste collection and disposal service with other Councils in Worcestershire. It was also noted that any recommendations arising from the Task Group would need to be considered by Cabinet and, as with any scrutiny recommendations, there would be no requirement to endorse the group’s proposals.
Members discussed the terms of reference for the review. The Board noted that these terms of reference did not include consideration of Worcestershire County Council’s current review of their Energy from Waste project. Concerns were raised that it might not be appropriate for the Task Group to consider some of the objectives detailed in the terms of reference, particularly those pertaining to district Councils, in the absence of most authorities. Under these circumstances Members noted that it would be appropriate to inform Worcestershire County Council of Councillor Laight’s resignation and to refrain from appointing a replacement to the group until further clarification had been provided as to whether the terms of reference for the review would be amended.
The process for determining whether to participate in the review was briefly debated. Members noted that the Board had, following the proper democratic process, collectively agreed to participate in this exercise at their previous meeting. To ensure that all subsequent action in relation to this review complied with the democratic process the Board agreed that a 5 minute adjournment should take place to consider the constitution.
Following the completion of this 5 minute adjournment it was
RESOLVED that
(a) Councillor Laight’s resignation from the Joint Integrated Waste Task Group be reported to Worcestershire County Council;
(b) Further clarification be sought from Worcestershire County Council regarding the final terms of reference for the review.