Agenda item

Report ES12014

To maintain income targets, allowing for the increase in Landfill Tax, the inflationary increase of contractor collection and disposal payments, and the annual inflation estimate applied to all income budgets, an above inflation increase in prices for 20012/13 may be required for the Council’s Trade Waste Collection Service (TWCS).

The Government has also expressed its intention to amend The Controlled Waste Regulations (1992) so that from 1^st April 2012 the full costs of waste disposal can be recovered from customers who currently only pay for the collection element of the service. Report ES10193 (January 2011) confirmed that such charges will be applied when and if the revised legislation is enacted which it is anticipated will increase income by £58k above inflation. An increase of 13% on the overall TWCS prices would also be required to achieve the income targets for 2012/13.

However, the Government has not yet confirmed the necessary revision to the regulations and if the legislation is delayed, TWCS prices would need to be uplifted by 17% to increase projected annual income by £90k above the inflation target, matching the budget option put forward.

To maintain income targets, allowing for the annual increase in Landfill Tax, the annual inflationary increase of contractor disposal payments, and the annual inflation estimate applied to all income budgets, an above inflation increase of 7% in the Council’s prices for non-household waste delivered to the Household Waste Recycling Centres 20012/13 is also required.

In supporting the recommendations to the Portfolio Holder the Committee felt that the customer drop out rate for the Trade Waste Collection Service should be monitored for the Council’s budget next year and for the implications of the service going forward. A Member suggested if above inflation rises were likely to be recommended for 2013/14 their potential impact on small businesses should be an element of future reports.

It was confirmed that fly tipping tonnages had remained stable although a Member suggested that landfill tax could be getting to a point where it is becoming counter productive leading to fly tipping and the Member suggested that the Government be lobbied on this concern.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to agree the following:

(1)  should the revised legislation be agreed, disposal charges to those Schedule 2 customers re-designated under the changes to the Controlled Waste Regulations (1992) be implemented, along with (i) an increase of 13% in the costs of both collection and container rental for customers utilising the trade waste collection service and/or renting containers from the council and (ii) an increase of £4 for the waste transfer note;

(2)  should the Government fail to implement the changes to the Controlled Waste Regulations (1992), an increase of 17% be implemented in the costs of both collection and container rental for customers utilising the trade waste collection service and/or renting containers from the Council along with an increase of £4 for the waste transfer note;

(3)  an increase of 7% in Council prices for non-household waste delivered to the Household Waste Recycling Centres 20012/13.