The Executive Director for Community Services has submitted a report which proposes to create and operate a Council managed transfer station for co-mingled recyclate, green waste, street arisings and engineering works spoil.

Recommendations: That the City Executive Board resolves to:

1.            Approve the project to create and manage a recycling transfer station, as described in this report. Subject to approval of funding by council in the 2017/18 budget.

2.            Seek planning approval and an environment permit for the proposed recycling transfer station. Authorise officers to incur the costs relating to the preparation of the application and permit.

3.            Delegate authority to the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Council’s s151 and Monitoring Officers and subject to the receipt of satisfactory planning consent, to proceed with the creation of the recycling transfer station.

4.            Delegate authority to the Director of Community Services to enter into a contract for the construction of the Recycling Transfer Station facility following a procurement process in accordance with the councils approved procedures

Cllr Turner left the meeting

The Executive Director for Community Services submitted a report which proposed to create and operate a Council managed transfer station for co-mingled recyclate, green waste, street arisings and engineering works spoil.

Cllr Tanner, Board member for a Clean Green Oxford presented the report.  He said the creation of a recycling station at the Redbridge Park and Ride should save the Council about £1m. Recycling collected in the city currently is taken to a transfer station in Culham.  Having a transfer station at the Redbridge Park and Ride would significantly reduce the time a collection takes.

The Cleaner Greener Services Managerexplained that no sorting would take place on the site, apart from the removal of contaminated waste and plastic bags which shouldn’t be recycled.

The Director of Community Services explained that the local service would be more efficient. The price for recycling has fallen and contractors are much stricter about accepting contaminated waste.

The Cleaner Greener Services Manager explained that the scheme requires planning permission from the Council and a permit from the Environment Agency.

The City Executive Board resolved to:

1.   Approve the project to create and manage a recycling transfer station, as described in this report. Subject to approval of funding by council in the 2017/18 budget.

2.   Seek planning approval and an environment permit for the proposed recycling transfer station. Authorise officers to incur the costs relating to the preparation of the application and permit.

3.   Delegate authority to the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Council’s s151 and Monitoring Officers and subject to the receipt of satisfactory planning consent, to proceed with the creation of the recycling transfer station.

4.   Delegate authority to the Director of Community Services to enter into a contract for the construction of the Recycling Transfer Station facility following a procurement process in accordance with the councils approved procedures

The Cleaner Greener Services Manager explained the background to this decision and the contractual arrangements that were in place.  He clarified that the Council would take on responsibility for contamination control and that a contractor would continue to be responsible for transferring the waste once in had been bulked.  Non-dry recycling would be held separately at the site in external bays.

The Panel questioned the level of savings that would be achieved and heard that these would be net savings after running costs.  One vehicle and crew could be released and redeployed.

The Regeneration Programme Manager explained the process of site identification and said that this had included looking at opportunity costs.  The chosen site would result in additional costs of £1m due to the need for special foundations and various other works but the alternative sites considered could be better-utilised in other ways. 

No revenue impact on car parking was expected but there was a need to consider how coaches could be accommodated at peak times and a study could be undertaken to identify options.  The Panel expressed support for a study.

The Panel questioned whether there were opportunities for additional uses at the chosen site, such as a mixed recycling facility (MRF), in light of the expected future impacts of legislative changes.  The Panel heard that an MRF would be a significant investment that would have very different environmental impacts and warrant a separate feasibility study.  It was thought that there may be potential for depot operations at the site. The Panel strongly supported the proposal and suggested that the council should be open to the possibility of additional recycling processes (e.g. glass crushing) taking place at the site in future, subject to licensing, given that a lot can change in the waste and resource economy.

The Panel considered the possible locations of the transfer station at the chosen site and favoured the location furthest from residential properties given that the station could create odours.  The Panel received assurances that the access route to this transfer station would be cordoned off from the park and ride facility.