The Head of Corporate Strategy will present an update and overview of the Waste Review.

The Panel is asked to note the presentation and agree any recommendations.

The Head of Corporate Strategy presented an update and overview of the Waste Review, summarising the following key points: 

• A review began last year to investigate possibilities for integrating domestic waste management systems across the district councils in Oxfordshire to increase efficiencies. This is being led by West Oxfordshire District. 

• A consultancy firm, Activist, has been employed to assess the possible opportunities, how integration may work, and the size of savings.  

• That City Council currently shoulder more cost and deliver County Council more benefits by utilising some of its contracted waste disposal sites. The Chair noted the misaligned incentives in this dynamic. 

• That food waste is the most expensive to collect. 

• Inflationary pressures and increases in household waste are driving up the cost of domestic waste disposal services for the Council. This will worsen with increased housing growth and local densification.   

• The concept of simple recycling could allow the Council to amend their collection pattern to better suite local need and costs.  

• Oxford City Council is one of the top performing councils in the country for recycling levels, however this has decreased slightly recently. 

• Currently, Oxford City Council’s costs for domestic waste management are higher than the national average.  

The Director of Corporate Strategy also summarised the next steps of the review and informed the Panel that the council Chief Executives have discussed the options and requested immediate steps which could seek improvements ahead of full integration taking effect. As such, there is now a joint programme board with representatives from Oxford City Council, including ODS; a business case is expected by June. The Chair noted that the approach sounded sensible and unlikely to be politically controversial.  

Councillor Harley asked whether the 321 model could involve risks to health including vermin. The Head of Corporate Strategy clarified that this would not be expected provided residents utilise the correct equipment provided. Food waste would also still be collected weekly, as per legal requirement and it was reiterated that the option is only being explored; no decision has been taken. 

Councillor Miles focused on the evidence base and impacts, asking if students will be considered in the context of waste management issues and whether in terms of demand, there is consideration being taken for those who do not pay council tax. She noted the growing issues caused by densification. The Head of Corporate Strategy recognised the perennial issues with student’s actions around waste disposal, noting that the Council does engage with ODS and the universities on this matter. In comparison to other university cities, he explained that good progress has been made on engaging with student’s behaviours but stated that the issue will persist with each new cohort. In regards those who do not pay council tax, The Head of Corporate Strategy explained that separate work is ongoing to assess whether short-term let properties could be required to pay business rates and that this could include some categories of student accommodation. In regards densification, more provisions need to be considered but it was noted that the pattern is mirrored nationally, thus another reason that the proposed integration could be useful for increasing efficiencies.  

In connection with her previous question, Councillor Miles then asked how families are being displaced and affected by more students living out, and how this affects council tax income. Furthermore, she noted the issues of increased bin presence or streets posing a hazard for disabled communities, thus not aligning with other council policies to ensure a walkable city.  

The Director of Corporate Strategy explained that there is currently work ongoing to look at student households and considerations of whether they can be included within those paying business rates. In regards bins, he explained that should the 321 model be successful, there should be more waste going into blue bins and clarified that there is no intention for bigger bins to be offered. The amount of waste should remain the same. In regards obstacles and pavements, little difference should be made to this but clarified that there is also a legal requirement to provide a collection service meaning some issues cannot be entirely mitigated. Councillor Miles emphasised the need for policy coherence with other ideas and asked what can be done to ensure disabled persons can move about freely, unimpeded by waste collection. The Head of Corporate Strategy explained that this is not a strand of work included within the review but agreed that further discussion would be useful at street level.  

Councillor Hunt queried the flatlining data on recycling rates which had been provided and asked why this was happening and whether it was an issue with Council messaging to residents. She also asked whether the Council could investigate the possibility of returns schemes for recyclable bottles. The Head of Corporate Strategy explained that the flatlining is consistent with the national trend since the introduction of mixed recycling. Additionally, since the pandemic, most national areas have seen reductions which are expected to be linked to increased residual waste from homes due to work from home alterations and higher presence of houses with smaller gardens and dwellings, impacting garden waste volume which factor into recycling statistics. He recognised that this is a behavioural issue which needs to be tackled. In regards bottle returns schemes, the Panel learned that the government has confirmed a scheme and is in the planning stages. It is expected to allow plastic and metal drinks containers to be recycled and is aimed to be available from 2027. Councillor Hunt drew on examples in Mexico which also allow for glass bottles to be recycled, and the Chair noted that different contexts allow for different technology; integrating these changes is always more complicated than perceived.  

Councillor Miles proposed that the City Council undertake some work to explore the possible cost recovery from student landlords, related to waste services as a result of the densification of student properties and challenges of waste management to which the Head of Corporate Strategy noted that the research would be worth pursuing but would require the collaboration of several teams.  

The Panel made the following recommendation(s): 

• For Oxford City Council (Finance and Waste teams) to conduct some research to explore cost recovery from student landlords, related to waste services as a result of the densification of student properties and challenges of waste management.