Agenda item

“The Council notes that the prime minister has declared war on plastic, with an announcement that the government hopes to “eliminate all avoidable plastic waste” within 25 years.  This Council therefore resolves to play its part locally and lead by example in helping to reduce plastic waste. To this end the Council will establish a working party to consider:

i.              Ways in which single issue plastics used by the Council can be replaced with sustainable or reusable alternatives where practicable.

ii.             How the Council can play its role in helping to educate members of the public about plastic waste.

iii.            The provision of public drinking fountains across Uttlesford and encouraging a culture of refillable bottles, to promote health, reduce litter and cut the use of plastic.

iv.           How to use the links we have with businesses in Uttlesford to encourage them to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced and encourage participation in refill schemes in town centres.

v.            Lobbying for a plastic bottle deposit return scheme and support for the campaigns from Keep Britain Tidy, the Marine Conservation Society, Campaign to Protect Rural England and Reloop.

The Council authorises the Chief Executive to establish the membership of the working party following discussion with group leaders.”

Councillor Sell said he was grateful to the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services for her suggestions regarding this motion.  He therefore now sought to make an alteration, to propose that the existing Waste Strategy Panel be asked to carry out the work proposed, rather than establishing a new working group to do so.   Members consented to this alteration.

Councillor Sell read out the altered motion as follows:

“The council notes that the prime minister has declared war on plastic, with an announcement that the government hopes to “eliminate all avoidable plastic waste” within 25 years.  This council therefore resolves to play its part locally and lead by example in helping to reduce plastic waste. To this end the Council will ask the Waste Strategy Panel to consider:

i.              ways in which single issue plastics used by the Council can be replaced with sustainable or reusable alternatives where practicable

ii.             How the Council can play its role in helping to educate members of the public about plastic waste, 

iii.            The provision of public drinking fountains across Uttlesford and encouraging a culture of refillable bottles, to promote health, reduce litter and cut the use of plastic an

iv.           How to use the links we have with businesses in Uttlesford to encourage them to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced and encourage participation in refill schemes in town centres

v.            Lobbying for a plastic bottle deposit return scheme and support for the campaigns from Keep Britain Tidy, the Marine Conservation Society, Campaign to Protect Rural England and Reloop.

Councillor Sell said the motion attempted to ensure that this Council led by example on a very serious issue, given the inordinate amount of plastic which was sent to landfill and which was in the wider environment.  Unless the situation changed, there would be more plastic in the oceans than fish.  This motion was not intended to be prescriptive, but was to look at ways to tackle plastic waste.  He proposed the motion.

Councillor Fairhurst seconded the motion. 

Councillor S Barker thanked Councillor Sell for accepting her suggestions for changing the motion.  The proposed work should be focussed and should be reported to Council in December.  The Secretary of State was expected to produce a report on the use of plastics, consideration of which should be incorporated into the review. 

Councillor Fairhurst said it was good to lead, and to encourage people to take small actions themselves, as if everyone did so it would make a difference.

Councillor Hargreaves asked whether the working party could look at collections out of street bins. 

Councillor S Barker said the County Council had a Materials Recovery Facility for black bin waste, which did reduce residual waste.  Regarding street bins, the suggested advice to the public was to take recyclables home for disposal. 

The motion was put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED  The council notes that the prime minister has declared war on plastic, with an announcement that the government hopes to “eliminate all avoidable plastic waste” within 25 years.  This council therefore resolves to play its part locally and lead by example in helping to reduce plastic waste. To this end the Council will ask the Waste Strategy Panel to consider:

i.              ways in which single issue plastics used by the Council can be replaced with sustainable or reusable alternatives where practicable

ii.             How the Council can play its role in helping to educate members of the public about plastic waste, 

iii.            The provision of public drinking fountains across Uttlesford and encouraging a culture of refillable bottles, to promote health, reduce litter and cut the use of plastic an

iv.           How to use the links we have with businesses in Uttlesford to encourage them to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced and encourage participation in refill schemes in town centres

v.            Lobbying for a plastic bottle deposit return scheme and support for the campaigns from Keep Britain Tidy, the Marine Conservation Society, Campaign to Protect Rural England and Reloop.

The meeting ended at 9.35pm.

Summaries of Public SpeakingStatements

Statement of Sandi Merifield

Please note the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Policy Working Group held on 4 October 2018 are incorrect in that the representatives of Stebbing Parish Council only met with officers, not with the Council’s barrister. 

Stebbing Parish Council feels it is meant to feel grateful to officers for sharing with us the advice of the Council’s QC, but we do not.  The District Council is simply protecting itself.  Stebbing feels let down by the District Council.  Land West of Braintree featured in all of the scenarios in the Regulation 18 sustainability appraisal.  It is clear that this option is a risk, but the Council is ploughing on regardless.  Stebbing Parish Council does not believe the Inspector will be satisfied, and is worried that if the Garden Community is sited at West of Braintree that the area would face the threat of 1500 to 2000 homes.  If it does not go ahead then I am sure the District Council’s planners would look for the rest of the requirement elsewhere in the District. 

Is there a five year housing supply?  Has the District Council been seeking to fill the gap the loss of land West of Braintree would leave?  How many planning applications are there at present?  It is left to the development plan to test the delivery model.  We have no experience of how collaboration works so how can the Council make comments? 

Statement of Mike Young

I wish to make three points concerning housing need: 

First, the present calculation is illogical, as it principally affects Epping and Uttlesford; secondly, the addition for communal establishments is incorrect, as rooms in care homes should be deducted as they are not classified as properties, but more importantly, they should not be included, as was accepted by the East Herts examination. 

Third, from 24 January, housing need will be based on a new government forumula.  Government advice is to use the most up to date figures, which means the household projections issued in September should be used.  Methodology of leading consultants which has been accepted by the Planning Inspectorate shows a housing need figure of 3,000 less than that proposed.  The changes could be recalculated, but there is time, with will and determination.