This report updates on the progress of the kerbside food waste collections in the five early adopter areas and on the main Phase 1 roll-out planned for 1 February 2021.

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the progress of the kerbside food waste collections in the five early adopter areas and on the main Phase 1 roll-out planned for 1 February 2021.  The following documents were attached to the report:

Appendix 1 - Project overview including the early adopter areas.

Appendix 2 - Data collected before and since the early adopter roll-out including the number of customer contacts and complaints received.

The report explained that the original roll-out timetable had been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and set out the revised timetable:

·     Early adopter areas service (3,300) properties began on 5 October 2020.

·     Phase 1 service to 59,000 properties due to begin on 1 February 2021. Phase 2 service to 14,000 high level flats due to begin later in 2021 once Phase 1 had been successfully implemented.

The report added that a total of 3300 early adopter properties had received the new service from 5 October 2020.  The early adopters project was critical to the success of the full roll out and the areas had been chosen because they were operationally challenging, including various property types as well as a control area.  In general, the roll-out to the early adopters had been a success with the tonnage of food waste far exceeding the predicted weight of 1kg/household/week.  There had also been a number of learning outcomes which would be taken forward into the main roll out.  There had been concerns over the smaller general waste bins, and officers stressed that where residents had a higher volume of general waste (eg disposable nappies or larger households), they could contact the Council who would work with them to carry out a bin audit and identify a solution where appropriate.

The report also explained that work for the main roll-out in February 2021 was on schedule.  The new recycling, waste and food rounds were currently being finalised and the collection calendars for 2021/22 produced for distribution during week commencing 7 December 2020.  The project was supported by a communications plan which included the following elements:

Resolved:

That the progress made on the food waste project and the timetable for the full roll out of the service in 2021 be noted.