Meeting documents

PRESENT:   Councillor Mrs C Lambert (Chairman); Councillors C R Ashenden, D N Attree, K Barclay, Mrs V M Baxter, Mrs M Butler, J W Cartwright, M P J C Cashman, W J Y Chapple, J C Cole, P A Cooper, B E Foster, R V Ghent, Mrs N Glover, B M Griffin, Mrs P M Jamieson, J A Jennings, C Jones, Mrs S S R Kendrick, S Kennell, K Liverseidge, N Mohammad, Mrs M B Morgan-Owen, J A Newman, Mrs C M Paternoster, S J Patrick, Mrs M Payne, Mrs P D J Pearce, Mrs J E Peart, Mrs S F Polhill, D G Ralph, Miss G F Reynolds, C G Richards, Mrs F D Roberts MBE JP, D J Rowlands, B D Searle, A N Sherwell, Mrs G V Smith, Sir Beville D Stanier Bt, Group Capt  J F Stewart, N Stuart and Mrs C S Willetts.  

APOLOGIES:  Councillors H H Cadd, M A Baldwin, Mrs J M Brandis, Mrs A C Davies, D P Fitzsimons, D R Isham, C R James, R W Khan, I P Metherell, Mrs R Worgan and Mrs T A Yasin.

Prior to the commencement of the meeting, all those present stood in silent tribute to the memory of the son of Mr J Green, a former Member of the Council, who had died recently.

RESOLVED -

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 11th July, 2001 be approved as a correct record subject to the inclusion of Mrs V M Baxter in the list of apologies.

The Local Government Commission had published its draft recommendations on future electoral arrangements in May, 2001 when a copy had been circulated to all Members of the Council.

The broad objective of the Commission was to achieve as far as possible equality of representation across the District as a whole.  The Commission's proposals were for a total of 59 Councillors with elections every four years.  Comments on the draft had to be submitted to the Commission by 6th August, 2001.  The next step would be for the Commission to consider local views and to decide whether or not to modify the draft recommendations.  The final recommendations could then be submitted to the Secretary of State.

The District Electoral Review Group had met on 26th June and 18th July to consider the draft recommendations.  All Members had been given the opportunity to submit comments to the Group and to attend the meeting on 18th July.  The only substantive changes considered by the Group related to the warding structure in the Bedgrove/Grange/Mandeville area of Aylesbury Town and the proposed structure for the Haddenham and Stone Wards.

Members noted copies of correspondence from Stone with Bishopstone and Hartwell and Dinton with Ford and Upton Parish Councils and one of the local Members for the Haddenham Ward commenting on the proposed changes.  Circulated also were copies of correspondence from a number of other Parish Councils on the Commission's draft.

Members discussed in particular, the following proposed changes to the Commission's draft recommendations:-

Haddenham returning 2 members

Stone returning 1 member

RESOLVED -

Questions had been received as follows:-

Question

“What was the percentage household waste stream in Aylesbury Vale recycled in the financial years 1998/99, 1999/00 and 2000/01?

Answer

“The following table has been produced in response to the question.  Members may wish to note that the amount of waste recycled is a % of the total waste collected, which includes street sweepings.

Recycling Rates

Questions

“At the BCC Area Committee the Parishes were shown priorities recommended by BCC and AVDC and other District Council officers on implementing the Bucks Waste Strategy.

This showed a proposal to phase an introduction of fortnightly kerbside compost collections in Aylesbury Vale and a monthly kerbside collection of glass.

The former was recommended for rejection by the forum.

Over the past three years this Council has repeatedly asked for a green waste strategy, and although accepting that AVDC was working jointly with BCC on a county-wide strategy, has still requested independent proposals, evaluation and action.

In view of members interest why were these proposals on the integrated strategy so far advanced and costed without member involvement at AVDC, either as members information, report to Council, Cabinet discussion, or reported as a decision by the cabinet Member for the environment?”

Answer

“The “Waste Strategy for Buckinghamshire” is being developed by a countywide officer/Member group, the Bucks Waste Forum (BWF).   This Council has two Member representatives on the Forum Cllr Ghent and myself (Cllr Rowlands).    This group was formed in response to the growing need to integrate the means of waste collection with the means of disposal, the need for this group has been given further validity by the introduction of the challenging Best Value targets for recycling.  In response to these targets the BWF has been developing a waste strategy for Buckinghamshire which is to be presented in a draft form to all District Councils in November.

The Environment and Health Committee meeting held on the 31st October 2000 agreed the means of consultation on the emerging waste strategy for Buckinghamshire, which was being developed by the Bucks Waste Forum. It was agreed that there would be a period of formal public consultation and that discussion workshops would be held with District, County and Parish Members via the Local Committee arrangements of the County Council.   The Committee also agreed that this consultation would take place prior to the finalisation of the Draft Waste Strategy.    

Following the Committee's agreement to the means of consultation, the Buckinghamshire County Council Area Committee received a report on the Bucks Waste Strategy from the Bucks Waste Forum on the 12th July 2001.  The report outlined the potential strategy to deal with waste in Buckinghamshire and was intended as a way of commencing the debate on the future for waste management across the County.

The report showed the recommendations of the Forum for all the Councils to meet the recycling/composting targets as set down in Best Value legislation. The AVDC targets being 26% for 2003/4 and 36% for 2004/5. The Forum had recognised that we can only reach such targets with the introduction of new services, principally glass and garden waste. The report considers that it is more beneficial to treat garden waste through the use of new technologies than through a separate collection system, hence the report recommends that AVDC could potentially meet it's targets without the

provision of a separate garden waste collection system.

It is essential to remember that these are recommendations from the Forum and as such will need to be considered in full by AVDC.  The draft strategy does not commit this Council to any defined course of action it is a technical document, which considers environmental and economic implications of the suggested options.   The final decision relating to issues such as green waste collections and kerbside glass collections rests with the Council.

I can advise you that the draft strategy is now complete and preparations are being made to ensure that this is made available to all Members in the near future.”

Question

In the light of the increased level of publicity on the matter of travellers, whether he will arrange for a report to be presented to the next full Council (12/9/01) detailing at least:

Answer

“Yes.”