Housing, Dundee Contract Services And Environment Services Committee - 20/11/2006

At a MEETING of the ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 20th November, 2006.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Julia M STURROCK, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 23rd October, 2006 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I REFRIGERATION AND FREEZER TREATMENT TENDER EXTENSION

Reference was made to Article V of the minute of meeting of 24th October, 2005 wherein approval was given for the award of the contract for Refrigerator and Freezer Treatment to Shore Recycling Ltd, Perth.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN382-2006 reporting that the contract commenced upon the 1st December, 2005 and was due to be completed on the 30th November, 2006. A clause in the tender provided for an extension to the tender to the end of April 2007. Shore Recycling had indicated their willingness to extend this tender at the current tender price.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to extend the current tender until the 1st April, 2007; and

(ii) to note that on 1st April 2007, the responsibility for the treatment and disposal of fridges and freezers would revert to the equipment manufacturers under The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) Regulations. As such Local Authorities would no longer have responsibility to recover the treatment costs from the Scottish Executive, and accordingly the current grant funding from the Scottish Executive would cease.

II FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PURPOSES (SCOTLAND) ORDER 2002

There was submitted Agenda Note AN383-2006 reporting that during 2006/07 only, the Scottish Executive had awarded a grant to Dundee City Council of 35,000 to treat hazardous Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. The Grant only covered costs incurred from 13th August, 2006 until the transposition of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive into domestic law. It offset disposal (or treatment) costs of separately-collected waste electrical and electronic equipment from private households deemed hazardous in terms of the Special Waste Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004. This included items such as Cathode Ray Tubes (eg televisions), Visual Display Units (eg computer screens) and fluorescent light tubes.

Four companies in Tayside had made it known that they were licensed, capable and willing to accept these wastes. They were:-

7                                             Shore Recycling of Perth, the current service supplier for Refrigerator and Freezers;

7                                             Computer Recycling Services, Dundee, a current service supplier to the Council's Information Technology and Waste Management Departments;

7                                             Jeso Ltd, a Leeds company with a base in Dundee;

7                                             Environlite Ltd, Perth, the current service supplier for fluorescent tube recycling.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note that due to the variation in the nature and treatment requirements of the materials, not all suppliers were able to offer a service for all materials; and

(ii) that waste collection and treatment schemes be arranged as appropriate with all four of the above companies until 1st April, 2007.

III PURCHASE OF WHEELED BINS

There was submitted Report No 656-2006 by the Head of Waste management seeking authorisation for the acceptance of prices for the purchase of wheeled bins until 31st December, 2007.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to accept the offer from SSI Schaeffer for the supply of grey (domestic) bins, blue (paper) bins and green (glass) bins in 140 litre, 240 litre and 360 litre (where applicable) sizes;

(ii) to accept the offer from SSI Schaefer for the supply of 140 litre and 240 litre brown (compost) bins;

(iii) to accept the offer from Otto (UK) Ltd for the supply of 1100 litre bins for waste and recyclates; and

(iv) to accept the offer from Egbert H Taylor Ltd for the supply of 1280 litre bins for waste and recyclates.

IV PURCHASE OF RECYCLING PLANT SPARES

There was submitted Report No 657-2006 by the Head of Waste Management seeking authority to purchase four spare sets of cutters and associated parts for the mattress and sprung furniture recycling unit at the Baldovie Waste Recycling and Processing Plant within the Waste Management Department.

The Committee agreed to accept the offer from Martin Environmental Ltd, Ballyclare amounting to 72,110.

V PURCHASE OF VEHICLES

There was submitted Report No 658-2006 by the Head of Waste Management seeking authority for the purchase of four replacement vans which would be used as part of the departments street cleaning operations.

The Committee agreed to accept the offer from Norman Fairweather Motors, Dundee for the purchase of 4 (four) - Jumbuck Pick-Up Vans (totaling) 23,320.

VI SCOTTISH MOTOR VEHICLE TESTING UNIT (SMVTU) - CEASING OF OPERATIONS

Reference was made to Article III of minute of meeting of this committee of 21st August, 2000 wherein the Scottish Motor Vehicle Testing Unit was established.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN384-2006 reporting that the Unit had been set up in February 2001 comprising a multi-authority consortium, managed by Dundee City Council, which had provided a motor vehicle testing service for local authorities in its six years of operation.

After an evaluation, it had been determined that continued involvement in this service did not represent best value and consequently Dundee City Council was withdrawing from this consortium. With no other local authority willing to take on the management of this service, it would be wound up with effect 31st January, 2007.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note that there was likely to be a small balance of monies to be disbursed to member authorities in appropriate proportions by the end of the current financial year; and

(ii) to note that the Environmental Health and Trading Standards Department would continue to monitor motor vehicle sales and servicing activities on an ad hoc basis, resulting in savings to the council yet still maintaining consumer protection in these areas of business.

VII TENDERS RECEIVED BY CITY ENGINEER

There was submitted Report No 681-2006 by the City Engineer giving details of the tender received for fencing and other safety related works at Marchbanks Depot.

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer from Tayside Contracts amounting to 41,500 with allowances for contingencies amounting to 2,500 and professional fees amounting to 1,000 giving a total amount of 45,000.

The Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3, 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

VIII CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982 - DEFECTIVE STAIR LIGHTING

There was submitted Agenda Note AN385-2006 detailing Notices which had been served on the owners of properties requiring works to be carried out.

The Committee noted that the Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards would carry out the works should the owners not comply within the timescales.

Julia M STURROCK, Convener.