A plan was drawn up by the Partnership’s joint committee last month – outlining 37 steps to address problems encountered during the rollout of the ‘Recycle for Dorset’ joint collection regime which has led to the overspend (see letsrecycle.com story).
The plan was agreed following three separate audit reviews having been carried out, including an internal audit by the South West Audit Partnership, an efficiency review by Local Partnerships (co-owned by the Treasury and Local Government Association), and a strategic review by consultants White Young Green.
However at a meeting on Tuesday this week Weymouth & Portland councillors have rejected the action plan put forward by the Partnership, and have commissioned a review of the potential cost of moving back to an in-house service.
Weymouth councillors have argued that the review should seek to address more of the problems with the collection service on the ground. The review is set to be carried out by council officers and is due to report back in July.
Vote
Commenting following the meeting, Weymouth & Portland borough council’s head of community protection Graham Duggan said: “The Dorset Waste Partnership action plan went to Weymouth and Portland borough council’s Management Committee after the plan was approved by members at the Dorset Waste Partnership Joint Committee.
“The borough council voted against endorsing the action plan agreed by the Dorset Waste Partnership Joint Committee as it was felt that there continue to be some operational issues in the borough which also need resolving.
“We are working very closely with the Dorset Waste Partnership who delivers the service in order to resolve these issues and move forward.”
DWP’s ‘Recycle for Dorset’ service has seen alternate-weekly dry recycling and refuse collections phased-in across the county. The service involves a commingled system with separate glass collection, where Weymouth and Portland had used a commingled system with separate paper collection.
Problems
The roll out began in October 2012 – but hit a snag in autumn 2014 following a delay in providing bins for some 50,000 residents in the borough council area.
And, DWP also predicted that it would require £2.3 million in excess of its budget to continue the roll out, which subsequently rose to an estimated £2.8 million due to unbudgeted costs – including a further £300,000 on hire vehicles.
Latest information presented to Weymouth & Portland councillors at the meeting on Tuesday suggests that the council is likely to contribute an additional £218,152 for the service in 2014/15, having already spent around £2,372,509.
Notice
Responding, Mike Harries Dorset county counci’sl director for environment and the economy and chair of the DWP Management Board said: “Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council are working closely to address the waste collection issues in the borough and move forward together. However, the council’s management committee has also asked officers to look at the options for a report in late summer about a possible alternative delivery of the service.
“In the event that the borough council decides to leave the partnership, this will require 12 months’ notice. In the meantime the focus for DWP is on: stabilising day-to-day operations; delivering the action plan to improve leadership and financial management and turning around the operational issues and fostering confidence.
Formed in April 2011, the DWP councils include: Christchurch borough; Dorset county, East Dorset district; North Dorset district; Purbeck district; West Dorset district, and Weymouth and Portland borough.
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