Agenda item

Cabinet:

a)    Noted the round optimisation process and revised number of routes as set out at paragraph 33.

b)    Noted the impact that past and future growth and legislative changes would have on the collection service.

c)    Approved the trial of a four-day week waste collection service for three months from Summer 2023 to be funded by existing operational budgets within the service, with a report on the outcome of the trial presented to Cabinet in the Autumn of 2023.

d)    Noted that any agreement to trial a four-day week would need to be approved by Cambridge City Council (part of the Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service.)

Councillor Henry Batchelor introduced the report.

Cllr Batchelor noted that it was good practice to review bin collection rounds every two to three years, noting that the last review was in 2017.

Due to housing development collection rounds had expanded at a significant rate since they were last reviewed in 2017 and therefore the routes were not operated at their best capacity.

Cllr Batchelor repeated the benefits of the four-day-week trial, noting that the improvement of recruitment and retention would enhance the quality of services provided to residents, as permanent staff would be more familiar with routes.

It was clarified by Cllr Batchelor that the four-day week trial did not happen at the same time as office-based staff due to the length of time it took for the external consultant that was used to run the route optimisation process.

Cabinet was informed that Service operatives and their Union had been consulted, and they had received positive feedback regarding the trial. It was clarified if Cambridge City Council did not agree, the trial would not go ahead.

Cllr Batchelor noted that since the report went to Scrutiny, changes had been made resulting in further data being available.

Cllr Batchelor confirmed that the cost of the trial would be around 0.3% of the Waste Service entire budget for the current year and 1% if it was to be made permanent.

Councillor Bill Handley expressed his support for the trial being extended to Shared Services.

Councillor Anna Bradnam confirmed Scrutiny and Overview’s support, noting the requirement for close monitoring of musculoskeletal injuries, as this was more prevalent in the Waste Service area than any other department.

Cllr Bradnam reported that the feedback received from the service and staff was positive, many had reported looking forward to spending their day off with families.

It was agreed that there would be a reduction in disruption on bank holiday weekends, and savings from not needing to employ agency staff for weekend collections.

It was recognised that commercial waste would still need to be collected seven days a week.

Cllr Henry Batchelor confirmed that prior to the trial, additional vehicles had been purchased and were accounted for in the costing if the trial was to be made permanent. 

Cllr Batchelor explained to Cabinet that the refuse collectors were on task and finish contracts, which incentivised staff to be more productive, noting, part of the agreement of the four-day week trial was to ask staff to work an extra 30 minutes in lieu of having the fifth day off.

In reply to Councillor Heather Williams, it was explained by Cllr Batchelor, that there would be an extra day in the week for missed bin collections and due to use of more permanent staff, there would likely be a reduction in the number of missed bins.

Councillor Heather Williams stated it would be useful for all councillors to be provided with upfront costs and officer hours, including Waste Services and office-based staff, to gain a reflection on what time was spent on the trial at the cost of the taxpayer.

In response to Cllr Williams, Jeff Membery, Head of Transformation, explained it would be difficult to gather the requested data as the Waste Service was already going through a round optimisation exercise and looking at ways to respond to government changes to waste legislation and therefore would be difficult to disaggregate part of the work related specifically to the four-day week.

Councillor Heather Williams stated that officer time should have been recorded to provide transparency and requested that it was going forward.

Cllr Williams asked that close attention be paid to assisted deliveries as a change of routine would likely impact residents. 

Councillor Bridget Smith stated that South Cambridgeshire District Council provided a high performing service and agreed it was important to continue delivering one.

Bode Esan, Head of Climate, Environment and Waste, confirmed that the review would have been needed regardless of the four-day-week.

Cabinet

a) Noted the round optimisation process and revised number of routes as set out at paragraph 33.

b) Noted the impact that past and future growth and legislative changes would have on the collection service.

c) Approved the trial of a four-day week waste collection service for three months from Summer 2023 to be funded by existing operational budgets within the service, with a report on the outcome of the trial presented to Cabinet in the Autumn of 2023.

d) Noted that any agreement to trial a four-day week would need to be approved by Cambridge City Council (part of the Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service.)