Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: -

Councillor S J Rice declared a personal interest in Minute No.17 - Local Nature Recovery Action Plan for Swansea.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: -

Councillor S J Rice declared a personal interest in Minute No.17 - Local Nature Recovery Action Plan for Swansea.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Approved.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Climate Change & Nature Recovery Service Transformation Committee held on 17 July 2023 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Approved.

Deborah Hill, Nature Conservation Team Leader presented a report which sought the endorsement of the Committee on the draft Local Nature Recovery Action Plan for Swansea.

It was outlined that Local Nature Recovery Action Plans (LNRAP) are non-statutory partnership plans produced by Local Nature Partnerships (LNP) in the relevant Local Authority or National Park in Wales. LNRAPs are aligned with and informed by Welsh national biodiversity policy, which is the Nature Recovery Plan (NRAP). 

The NRAP for Wales is the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Wales and sets out how the United Nations Environment Programme’s Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (and the associated Aichi Biodiversity Targets for 2011-20 in Wales) is addressed in Wales.

The report provided details of the background and the nature emergency.  It was added that the Swansea LNRAP identified priorities for achieving nature recovery in Swansea as so-called action themes. These were guided at the top level by the six objectives and five themes of action in the NRAP for Wales, but they were underpinned by local knowledge and priorities, as well as the themes highlighted in the South West Wales and Marine Area Statement Themes. 

In the draft Swansea LNRAP there were 25 action themes. It was intended that the action themes be narrower in focus than the six objectives in the NRAP for Wales to effectively guide LNP partner actions, but also broad enough to act as an umbrella for partner actions, as the Swansea LNP is a diverse partnership.  The timeline of development for the Swansea LNRAP was also provided.

The Committee discussed the following: -

·       River pollution, ‘run off’ into rivers and reassurances provided within the Local Development Plan (LDP).

·       Partnership working with Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

The Chair thanked the officers for the work undertaken in producing the report.

Resolved that: -

1)     The Climate and Nature Recovery Service Transformation Committee (STC) note the importance of the Swansea Local Nature Recovery Action Plan (LNRAP) as an overarching partnership framework to deliver on Nature Recovery.

2)    The STC endorse the draft LNRAP prior to it being forwarded to Council for approval.

Noted.

Councillor C Anderson, Cabinet Member for Community and Chris Howell, Head of Waste, Cleansing and Parks introduced a report which sought the views of the Committee in relation to future waste strategies.

The background to the 2022-2025 Waste Strategy was out lined and it was highlighted that all service improvement actions contained in the Current Strategy had been implemented. This had meant that the Council achieved a recycling rate of over 70% in 2022/23, two years earlier than required by legislation. In addition to achieving a high level of recycling, the most recent WLGA financial benchmarking from 2021/22 showed that the Council provided the most cost-effective waste management service in Wales (i.e. the lowest net cost per household).

It was added that the Waste Management service was exploring how a future waste strategy could be developed to ensure the Council continued to deliver a highly effective and cost-efficient service and also deliver further carbon reductions.

It was expected that carbon reductions would mainly be delivered by reductions in residual waste through increased recycling, changes to the power source and/or deployment of collection vehicles, and reductions in the use of plastic recycling bags.

Reductions in residual waste would be achieved by diverting more waste from thermal treatment (energy from waste) into re-use or recycling through an expansion of the number of recycling streams collected at the kerbside.

Furthermore, in line with Welsh Government Strategy, the kerbside collection of additional recycling materials, such as plastic film, cartons, and textiles would be trialled to assess for quantities, quality, recycling markets, and sustainability.

It was further added that vehicle emissions could potentially be reduced by: -

·            Introducing seasonal garden collections which would lower the mileage        travelled;

·            Considering switching to alternative low emissions vehicles (e.g.         electric or hydrogen). 

The Committee had previously asked the service area to investigate the feasibility of lidded caddies being provided for glass and cans collections. An example was provided.

The Committee discussed the following: -

·       The positive move to add additional recycling materials to kerbside collections.

·       The intended separating process being considered by the service area.

·       The proposal to stop garden collections in December / January.

·       Feedback from the trial of the electric powered collection vehicle and the focus upon reducing mileage.

·       Feedback regarding the sample bin provided.

·       How fixed recycling bins were not a good source of recycling due to contamination.

·       Welsh Government deposit return scheme would encourage the public to return products and therefore reduce waste.  

Resolved that: -

1)    In principle, the Committee be supportive on the potential for future waste strategies to aim for reductions in residual waste, in turn leading to higher recycling rates and the resulting carbon savings.

2)    In principle, the Committee supports the options to reduce future fuel usage for waste collection vehicles.

3)    The Committee supports the use of the Reusable Container provided, subject to larger families being supplied with multiple boxes.

For information.

The Chair presented an updated Work Plan report.

Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.