To approve the introduction of new charges and changes to existing waste management charges.  To ensure full cost of providing services is met through charges set, in line with the councils agreed charging principles, where legislation allows the council to make charges for waste services.  To recover costs of providing services where residents choose to receive a service which differs from the standard service. Encouraging residents to use the NHS provided clinical sharps take back scheme will help the council to avoid the costs of collection and disposal.  Clinical treatment at home is likely to become more common in future and the ability to charge healthcare organisations for waste they produce will mitigate any additional burden imposed on the council whilst also being able to provide a service to healthcare organisations.

That:

(a)   charges for optional or additional waste management services are amended or  introduced, as contained in appendix 1;

(b)  charges are made for general waste collection and disposal across all care, residential and nursing homes (care homes) where legislation allows and that new charges are introduced in line with legislation to care, residential and nursing homes to recover the cost of providing recycling collection and disposal above the provision allowed at a normal domestic property, as contained in appendix 1;

(c)   changes to the clinical collection service is made which encourages residents to make use of the NHS clinical sharps take back scheme at GP surgeries;

(d)  the option is agreed to levy charges to healthcare organisations for the collection of clinical waste where such organisations are treating residents in their own homes and

(e)   all of the above are implemented within the current financial year.

1.               Existing charges for bulky waste, which includes fridges/freezers, could remain the same but would no longer meet the cost of providing this service, and therefore not be in accordance with the council’s charging principles.

2.               The council could continue to provide bins and additional recycling capacity free of charge but would continue to incur the additional cost which would not be in accordance with the council’s charging principles.

3.               The council could stop providing additional recycling capacity; this is not recommended as it would be likely to lead to reduced levels of recycling and increased levels of household waste.

4.               No charge could be made to care homes but this would decrease income already received from those paying and would therefore not meet the increasing costs of providing the service or the council’s charging principles.

5.               Full charges could be introduced to care homes; this is not recommended as such a charge would then not take into consideration any contribution that is already made through council tax.

6.               The council could continue to provide a free collection service to all residents who produce clinical sharps waste and bear the cost of collection and disposal; this is not recommended as it is not in accordance with the council’s charging principles.

7.               The council could provide a free collection of clinical waste to healthcare organisations. This is not recommended as it would be contrary to government guidance which states the healthcare organisation should make their own arrangements for the collection and disposal, at their own cost.