Councillor Ed Turner sent apologies for absence.

None.

If the SJVG wishes to exclude the press and the public from the meeting during consideration of any of the items on the exempt from publication part of the agenda, it will be necessary for the SJVG to pass a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 on the grounds that their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The SJVG may maintain the exemption if and so long as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The SJVG voted to exclude the press and the public from the meeting during consideration of any of the items on the exempt from publication part of the agenda, passing a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 on the grounds that their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. 

The Group is asked to consider any comments or recommendations submitted by the Finance and Performance Working Group (of the Scrutiny Committee) in relation to the substantive items on the agenda or in respect of other issues the Working Group considers appropriate to raise.

The SJVG received a written report from the Finance and Performance Panel which provided overviews on several distinct areas outlined within the reports from ODS and recommendations from the Panel.

The SJVG discussed the report in private session.

The SJVG noted the contents of the report.

The Director of Law, Governance, and Strategy and the Group Finance Director submitted commentaries on reports relating to ODS.

The Group Finance Director and the Director of Law, Governance, and Strategy provided commentaries on reports relating to ODS.

The SJVG discussed the reports in private session.

The SJVG noted the contents of the report.

Report of: ODS Group Board

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group resolved to:

1. Note confirmation of 24/25 close of accounts

2. Approve a dividend of £2.4 million for the financial year 2024/25 from ODSL.

3. Note the Board have determined that the ODSTL earnings will be retained in the balance sheet (and therefore no dividend is proposed from ODSTL) to continue building the business in support of the refreshed ODSTL business plan

4. Note the period 6 trading position and service updates for both businesses

5. Note the productivity and efficiency measures ODS have introduced and their impact, and the future plans (summarised and attached at appendix 1)

6. Note and provide comments on the detailed summary and themes of the ODSTL Business Plan for the period 2026 to 2030, which will be brought for approval in April 2026 (Business Plan Workshop slides at appendix 2)

7. Note further progress on potential acquisitions

8. Note the recent ODS Governance & Audit Committee activities and risk management update and that the Articles and Shareholder Agreements for the companies have been finalised and filed with Companies House.

The Board of ODS had submitted a performance report to SJVG, to recommend a dividend for the trading period 2024/25; to give an update as to 2025/26 service provision and trading; to summarise ODSL productivity and efficiency measures; and to review the direction of a revised ODSTL Business Plan for the period 2026/27 to 2029/30 (for approval in April 2026).

The SJVG discussed the report in private session.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group resolved to:

1. Note confirmation of 24/25 close of accounts

2. Approve a dividend of £2.4 million for the financial year 2024/25 from ODSL.

3. Note the Board have determined that the ODSTL earnings will be retained in the balance sheet (and therefore no dividend is proposed from ODSTL) to continue building the business in support of the refreshed ODSTL business plan

4. Note the period 6 trading position and service updates for both businesses

5. Note the productivity and efficiency measures ODS have introduced and their impact, and the future plans (summarised and attached at appendix 1)

6. Note and provide comments on the detailed summary and themes of the ODSTL Business Plan for the period 2026 to 2030, which will be brought for approval in April 2026 (Business Plan Workshop slides at appendix 2)

7. Note further progress on potential acquisitions

8. Note the recent ODS Governance & Audit Committee activities and risk management update and that the Articles and Shareholder Agreements for the companies have been finalised and filed with Companies House.

Present for this part and the remainder of the meeting:

Tom Hook, Non-Executive Director

Cath Robinson, Non-Executive Director and Chair of the ODS Board

Lucy Walker, Non-Executive Director and Chair of the ODS Audit Committee

Simon Howick, Managing Director

Chris Urwin, Executive Director of Finance

Paul Concannon, Chief Operating Officer

Ola Adeniran, Company Secretary

Report of:              Chair of ODS / Chair of ODS Board

Purpose of report: To recommend payment of a new hire/retention payment

for RCV drivers; To recommend payment of a Board allowance for ODS

Executive Statutory Directors; To recommend a pay award to the Executive

Team; To update the SJVG about recent RemCo activity.

Recommendation(s): That the Shareholder and Joint Venture Group

resolves:

1.    To approve payment of a new hire / retention payment for Waste & Recycling RCV Drivers, to address challenges in recruiting and retaining these staff;

2.    To approve payment of a Board Allowance of £6k for Statutory Executive Directors (excluding the Managing Director) with appropriate back-dating as set out in this report;

3.    To approve a pay award for the 2025/26 year of 3% to the Managing Director and Finance Director of ODS and for it to be backdated to the 1st April 2025.

4.    To note the summary of the ODS Remuneration Committee activities under its new Chair.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group resolved to:

1. Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Director of Law, Governance, and Strategy; the Group Finance Director; and the Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies, to review equal pay ramifications and approve payment of a new hire / retention payment for Waste & Recycling RCV Drivers, to address challenges in recruiting and retaining these staff.

2.    To approve payment of a Board Allowance of £6k for Statutory Executive Directors (excluding the Managing Director) (payable from December 11^th, 2025, and only valid until it can be regularised into the company’s pay policy through the planned 2026 pay review)

3.    To approve a pay award for the 2025/26 year of 3% to the Managing Director and Finance Director of ODS and for it to be backdated to the 1st April 2025.

4.    To note the summary of the ODS Remuneration Committee activities under its new Chair.

The Board of ODS had submitted a performance report to SJVG, to recommend payment of a new hire/retention payment for RCV drivers; to recommend payment of a Board allowance for ODS Executive Statutory Directors; to recommend a pay award to the Executive Team; and to update the SJVG about recent RemCo activity.

The SJVG discussed the report in private session.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group resolved to:

1. Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Director of Law, Governance, and Strategy; the Group Finance Director; and the Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies, to review equal pay ramifications and approve payment of a new hire / retention payment for Waste & Recycling RCV Drivers, to address challenges in recruiting and retaining these staff.
2. To approve payment of a Board Allowance of £6k for Statutory Executive Directors (excluding the Managing Director) (payable from December 11^th, 2025, and only valid until it can be regularised into the company’s pay policy through the planned 2026 pay review)
3. To approve a pay award for the 2025/26 year of 3% to the Managing Director and Finance Director of ODS and for it to be backdated to the 1st April 2025.
4. To note the summary of the ODS Remuneration Committee activities under its new Chair.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group is recommended to approve the minutes from the meeting held on the 24^th of July 2025 as a true and accurate record.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group approved the minutes from the meeting held on the 24^th of July 2025 as a true and accurate record.