To receive any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

5.         Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy for Herefordshire and Worcestershire - Councillor JG Jarvis; Personal.

5.         Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy for Herefordshire and Worcestershire - Councillor PJ Edwards; Personal.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 30 July 2009.  (Minutes to follow).

RESOLVED:   That the Minutes of the meeting held on 30 July 2009 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To approve the transfer and new delivery arrangements (Appendix 1 and 2) for the Connexions range of services and functions from Herefordshire and Worcestershire Connexions Company to Herefordshire Council in April 2010.

The Cabinet Member Children’s Services advised Cabinet that the Connexions range of services and functions were being brought back under Herefordshire Council control as part of a government directive and would no longer be a joint enterprise for both Herefordshire and Worcestershire.  The Head of Improvement and Inclusion reiterated these were national changes by government which extended to 11 – 19 year olds.  It was important to ensure there was a seamless transition of services for young people, particularly vulnerable groups such as teenage pregnancy group and unemployed young people.

Cabinet was advised of the strategic plan to incorporate the Connexions service and reconfigure staff involved to frontline working with the established locality teams in Children’s Services.  It was confirmed that young people had been consulted with at various stages of the process.  Cabinet approved the transfer and new delivery arrangements for the Connexions Service.

RESOLVED

         THAT: the transfer and new delivery arrangements of the range of Connexions Services from the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Connexions Company to Herefordshire Council be approved.

The purpose is to endorse the first review of the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy for Herefordshire and Worcestershire and agree its adoption.

The Cabinet Member Environment and Strategic Housing presented the report and requested Cabinet endorse the review of the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy, which is a 30 year strategy.  The Cabinet Member thanked both Councillors PJ Edwards and RH Smith for their work and assistance on the Joint Members Waste Resource Management Forum, which had worked on formulating and reviewing the strategy and bringing it inline with current government guidance.  The Cabinet Member advised that all other authorities from Worcestershire involved with the strategy had endorsed the document.

Cabinet discussed:

• the re-use initiatives and working with third sector organisations;
• the consultation process across the counties over the burning of waste for energy/fuel;
• transport and Co2 omissions; and
• the financial implications to the authority in landfill costs if there was not a significant reduction in the use of landfill sites.

Cabinet thanked all officers involved for the work done in this area.

RESOLVED:

         THAT Cabinet endorse the review of the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy and agree the adoption of the revised strategy for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.