Councillor Chris Palmer, a member of the Waste & Street Cleansing Scrutiny Review Member Panel, gave a presentation on the review being carried out.

She said that Swale Borough Council (SBC) were the collection authority, and this was a statutory duty. The previous contract with Biffa expired in March 2024 and Suez had been awarded an 8-year contract. SBC were part of a Mid-Kent Joint Waste Partnership (Swale, Ashford and Maidstone Borough Councils).

When the new contract started, a period of settling in was always anticipated. However, several months of disruption had been experienced by some residents.

On 16 July 2024 the Environment & Climate Change Committee agreed that a scrutiny review be carried out and a panel of five councillors were set up. They would look at a range of issues around the start of the new contract, including resources and staffing, data and rounds, contract and project management and communications.

The panel would spend the next couple of months carrying out detailed investigations into these topics, using a range of methods to get information and feedback, including workshops, consultation with Area Committees and the Local Councils’ Liaison Forum. A public survey had already been launched which asked for residents’ experiences with the new contract.

Councillor Palmer asked for comments to feed into the review.

The following comments were made:

·         Why did the contract with Biffa end?;

·         what guarantees were SBC given that Suez could do the job?;

·         were there financial penalties for Suez not delivering the service?;

·         were there going to be round changes for rural areas?;

·         suggest that Suez do the same as Biffa and start collected at the outside of an area and work in, it would be easier to pick up missed bins on the way back;

·         some areas had not experienced any problems, were they the rounds that were the same as the old Biffa rounds?;

·         the problems with non-collection of communal bins were a health-hazard;

·         would SBC not be making improvements until after the report was presented at the Environment & Climate Change Committee on 20 November 2024?;

·         there was too much reliance on technology;

·         could parish council clerks be advised about the round changes coming up to alert residents to look out for letters?;

·         SBC should consider a back-up plan such as bringing in an alternative company; and

·         Members complimented Suez on the clear up after Sittingbourne Carnival and the Hop Festival.

Councillor Palmer and the Head of Environment & Leisure responded that the contract with Biffa came to an end and a full open tender process was conducted.  Suez was the successful bidder for the new contract following the tender process. There were a range of penalties included in the contract. Rounds had not been changed for 10 years but housing development had impacted the efficiency of the rounds. 9,000 letters would be going out to houses advising them of further round changes effective from 16 September 2024, it was hoped that these would increase the collection rate from 9 out of 10 to 10 out of 10. Once that happened the SBC could focus on the more positive aspects of the contract. Copies of letters to be sent out could be provided to Ward Councillors. Improvements would be made straight away and were not dependent on the outcome of the meeting on 20 November 2024. Improvements had already been made to communal bin stores, but further work was needed.

Councillor Palmer thanked everyone for their comments and said the public survey would close on 2 October 2024 and the report would be taken to the Environment & Climate Change Committee on 20 November 2024.