Agenda item

            (Mr. J. McConnell, City Services Manager (Resources and Fleet) attended in connection with this item.)

 

            The Committee considered the following report:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

 

1.1The purpose of this report is to update Members on the progress made to date in the planning and launch of three initiatives to improve the service delivery and recycling performance of Waste Collections within Resources and Fleet. These initiatives are

 

·        Small Streets Pilot with PSNI/DFI (Park With Us in Mind)

·        Introduction of Small Vehicles for Difficult to Access Streets

·        Expansion of Separate Glass Collection Services.

 

2.0Recommendation

 

2.1Members are requested to note the contents of the report, in particular

 

·        The status of the collaborative work with PSNI/DFI

·        the phased introduction of small vehicle routes to difficult to access streets commencing 12th August 2024

·        the update and proposed rollout timelines and streets for Phase 1 of expanded glass collections 

 

3.0Main Report

 

3.1Small Streets Pilot in collaboration with PSNI and DFI.

 

3.2Members will be aware that this pilot was launched on 6th May 2024, with the first area identified as the side streets from the Stranmillis Road in the University area. The plan was envisaged to run as follows. The overall scheme envisages three ‘cycles’ in these areas over a period of approximately 18 months. The first cycle is complete, and the second cycle will take place as follows, each to cover a period of 6 weeks.

 

Area	Start Date
Stranmillis Rd Area	21/10/2024
Donegall Road / Village Area	18/11/2024
Cregagh / Loopland Area	16/12/2024
Springfield Road Area	13/01/2025
Lower Ormeau Road/ Park Road Area	10/02/2025
Iveagh / Broadway Area	10/03/2025

 

3.3Officers are now in a position to provide some analysis and data to compare both crew reports and customer contact levels covering the 6 weeks prior to intervention compared to the 6 weeks of the intervention period for each of the areas. The data comes from two sources

 

·        Operational crew reports of not being able to access streets or blocked alleyway entrances etc

·        Customer contact data in relation to residents in the relevant streets reporting non collections

 

     

3.4Table 1 Reported instances by crews and Customers

 

	Crews via Report it App				Customer Contact
Area	Pre Pilot	Pilot	% change		Pre Pilot	Pilot	%i change
Stranmillis	29	21	28%	ê	6	8	-33%	é
Donegall Rd / Village	10	7	30%	ê	3	2	33%	ê
Cregagh / Loopland	13	6	54%	ê	38	13	66%	ê
Springfield Road	9	4	56%	ê	13	7	46%	ê
Lower Ormeau /Park Road	9	2	78%	ê	20	1	95%	ê
Iveagh / Broadway	3	7	-133%	é	13	17	-31%	é
Totals	73	47	36%	ê	93	48	48%	ê

 

 

3.5Chart 1 Reports by Crews by target area

 

      Chart 2 Customer contacts from residents for missed collections

 

3.7From this initial set of data it would seem that there has been some improvements in accessing most areas more frequently.

 

·        In 5 of the 6 areas crew have reported less instances of non-access with an overall reduction of 36% compared to the 6 week period prior to each intervention.  The exception to this was in the Iveagh / Broadway area where crews reported more often.

·        In 4 of the six areas there was a reduction of customer contacts with an encouraging overall reduction of reports by 48%. The exceptions to this are in the Stranmillis and Iveagh / Broadway area.

 

      An officer review meeting with BCC and DFI officers took place at the end of November to discuss the data and to see if any improvements can be introduced to improve on the first cycle.

 

      Introduction of Small Vehicles for Difficult to Access Streets

 

3.8Members will be aware that the pilot for this initiative, consisting of two leased 18 tonnes Dennis Eagle Refuse Collection Vehicles and temporary crews, commenced collection in identified and agreed difficult to access streets on 12th August 2024. At the time of writing, the pilot continues to be rolled out and in operation for three months.

 

3.9It was originally envisaged that all three waste streams would have been allocated and routed to these vehicles by November 4th. There have, however, been some operational delays but progress is still ongoing. Table 2 outlines progress to date

 

3.10      Table 2 Transfer of targeted streets to smaller vehicles

 

 

3.11      The main reason behind the delay is related to the amount of dry mixed recyclate the vehicle can carry. Other waste streams can be measured by weight, bit it is more difficult to assign routes based on volumes as the dry mixed recycling is very bulky with relatively little weight and therefore creating routes is a complex and iterative process. It is likely that the majority of outstanding ‘blue’ streets will be transferred to smaller vehicles in December but the process may be paused to allow for effective Christmas waste collections and will be finalised in January 2024.

 

3.12      That said, the first set of data covering the first three months of operation is very encouraging. Two comparisons have been made in Table 3 and Chart 3.  Data has been produced comparing the amount of crew reports and customer contacts in relation to missed collections as follows

 

·        The first three months of small vehicles in operation against the three months immediately prior to their introduction

·        The first three months in operation against the same period the previous year

 

3.13      Table 3 - Reported incidents 3 months prior and three months same time last year

 

	1st 3 months of pilot	3 months pre pilot	% reduction		1st 3 months of pilot	same 3 months last year	% reduction
Crews Via Report it App	56	209	73%	ê	56	463	88%	ê
Customer Contacts	239	403	41%	ê	239	595	60%	ê

 

3.14      Chart 3 - Reported incidents 3 months prior and three months same time last year

 

3.15      A list of streets being changed to smaller collection vehicle routes from 12th August - Streets moving to 18 Tonnes vehicle collections from 12th August, 2024

 

3.16      Expansion of Separate Glass Collection Services

 

      As previously reported, Resources and Fleet submitted an application to DAERA under the Household Waste Collaborative Change Programme for financial assistance with regard to capital funding for the expansion of segregated glass collections for remaining households across the Council area.. Having received a Letter of Offer from DAERA on 25th July, the Council’s has approved approval of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning, amongst other things, capital funding on a 50/50 basis and the first Phase is in the process of being implemented.

 

3.17      Planning continues in preparation for rolling this scheme out during January to March 2025. The Implementation phase involves the recruitment of collection crews, procurement of containers for both individual households and apartment blocks, initial leasing of vehicles prior to the procurement of new vehicles, communication of the scheme to the selected households, assessment of apartments (if any within the selected areas) and finally delivery of containers followed by first collections.

 

3.18      The scheme roll-out commences with a letter drop to households within the agreed phase one catchment area. This letter will outline the key aspects of the initiative along with practical information such as collection day, frequency, accepted materials and start date. Within seven days of receiving the letter, households will be issued with a kerbside box and lid for the presentation of their glass containers at the kerbside. An information leaflet will also be included within the kerbside boxes reminding residents on the salient points of the scheme. Kerbside collections will then commence within 11 days of receiving the kerbside box.

 

3.19      Given the lead times associated with a number of these activities, in particular the purchase and receipt of containers, and mindful of the potential clash with collections arrangements for the Xmas season, it is now estimated that the main activities will be rolled out as per Table 4, subject to deliveries of containers arriving as per the agreed schedule from the supplier. It is envisaged that the implementation phase will start in January and will be completed by March 2025

 

3.20      Table 4 – Estimated timetable for project commencement

 

 

3.21      Detailed route planning is still being finalised but a proposed list of streets to be serviced under Phase 1 has now been agreed with the Operations Team and can be found at Appendix 2 – Phase 1 Streets to receive Glass Collections

 

      The Service will continue to keep Members appraised of the progress of the scheme through the Council’s usual governance procedures.

 

3.22      Financial and Resource Implications

 

      In relation to the expansion of glass collections, DAERA will 50/50 match fund the agreed capital requirements as agreed in their Letter of Offer.

 

3.23      Equality or Good Relations Implications/

      Rural Needs Assessment

 

      None.”

 

            In response to several Members’ queries, the City Services Manager (Resources and Fleet) undertook to provide information, if requested, in respect of figures related to parking enforcement measures by the statutory bodies and agencies.

 

The Committee noted the information as set out within the report and specifically the information as outlined within the recommendation.