Agenda and minutes

Members agreed to confirm as correct the minutes of the Authority meeting held on 27 June 2011.

There were no declarations of Members’ Interests.

Members received the Finance Director’s report and appendices.  The external auditor updated Members on the Statement of Accounts and Auditor’s Report for 2010/11 and confirmed that there were no significant issues to be raised.  The Chairman thanked the External Auditor for providing Members with a clear Audit Report.

Members agreed the accuracy of the accounts and approved the draft statement of Accounts for the financial year 2010/11.

One member enquired about fraud and the Chairman and Vice Chairman will discuss the implications of potential fraud at their next meeting. 

Members received commentary on the outturn of borrowing, investment strategies, the capital programme and prudential indicators measured against the Treasury Management Strategy agreed in February 2010 in accordance with the Finance Director’s report and appendix. 

Members noted that the authority had managed its treasury management arrangements in accordance with the strategy and kept within its prudential indicators and that all investment was carried out in accordance with the approved creditworthiness criteria.

Members received the Finance Director’s report and appendix comparing actual expenditure for the period to 31 August 2011with previously approved revenue estimates.

The report identified a current net under spend of £260,000 due to reduced IWMS contract costs partly offset by budget pressures and a one off payment from the contractor for the B and C shares.  The estimated figure for the year is expected to be £371,000. These sums would boost reserves but would not be sufficient to avoid large increases in the Levy over the next few years.

Members noted the report.

Members received the Head of Operations regular report and appendix setting out details of contract performance, the constituent councils’ NI 192 performance, comparison of London waste authority performance and bring site update.  He reported that diversion from landfill had improved considerably and might make up the shortfall reported earlier in the year, if maintained.  Budget savings were expected as a result of continued lower contract waste tonnages coupled with increased diversion from landfill.

Members discussed the difficulty in assessing Bring Site performance and note that this is being remedied.  In due course, Members would like to receive a list of sites from which bring banks had been removed or re sited due to the positioning being ineffective.

Members noted the improvement in contract recycling and diversion performance and the continued reduction in waste tonnages.

Members received the Waste & Recycling Officer’s report with 4 appendices.  Commentary provided by the Head of Operations highlighted that the new controls showed a significant decrease in the number of vehicles using the four sites.  It was felt that the protocol should be strengthened by only accepting a Council Tax Bill or Driving Licence as evidence of residency and to discontinue the disclaimer form.  Following discussion about the use of automatic number plate recognition facilities, Members instructed officers to write to the DVLA to confirm refusal to access DVLA’s database.  Confirmation had been provided that there was no evidence of increased fly tipping

Members agreed the recommendations with effect from 1 January 2012.  Prior to this date officers would prepare and initiate a high profile advertising campaign across the four constituent councils and the Head of Operations will prepare a comparison report on charges made by other authorities.

Members resolved to exclude the public and press from the remainder of the meeting by reason of the nature of the business to be discussed which included information exempt from publication by virtue of paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Members received and discussed the Head of Operations confidential report and appendices on the potential to include glass into the dry recyclable waste stream.  The report considered the barriers and the benefits to inclusion and the associated costs.

Members agreed the recommendations at 2.1a, 2.1b and 2.1c of the report.

Members received the Head of Operations’ report on the use of SRF markets to increase waste diversion from landfill.

Members noted the report.

Members received the Managing Director’s report, appendices and commentary on the contractors increased diversion from landfill proposal.

Members agreed to:

  (i)  note the decision of the managing director to accept the proposal made by Shanks to potentially achieve financial savings to ELWA of approximately £5.2million over three years, by increased diversion of SRF from landfill; and

  (ii)  delegate authority to the Managing Director to formally agree and finalise the detail of all amendments proposed to the IWMS Contract with ELWA Ltd and to prepare, complete and sign all necessary documentation and do all things necessary to facilitate the implementation of the proposal set out in the report.

Members received the Managing Director’s commentary on the selection of lawyers to review the contract and contract options available to the Authority.

Members noted the verbal report.

Members received the Head of Operations’ verbal update on the sale of Wennington Farm, Hall Farm, Aveley and Gerpins Lane Closed Landfill sites.

Members noted the verbal report.

Monday 28 November 2011

Minutes agreed as a true record.

Chairman:   ………………………………..

Dated:  ………………………………..