Chichester District Council
Agenda item

Agenda item

Reducing Single Use Plastics

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its appendix in the agenda supplement and to make the resolution set out below:

 

That the Single Use Plastics Action Plan in the appendix to the agenda report be approved.

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That the Single Use Plastics Action Plan in the appendix to the agenda report be approved.

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its appendix in the agenda supplement.

 

This item was presented by Mr Connor.

 

Mr Day was in attendance for this matter.

 

In summarising the report Mr Connor said that the subject was a timely issueof increasingconcern toresidents and was receiving broad public support. Fromlitter inthe streets to micro-plasticsin theseas, support wasgrowing formaking somesimple changes and it was apparent that these could be achieved eg thesingle-use plasticbag surchargeand the impact of consumer pressure against theuse ofnon-recyclable orre-usable coffeecups. In May 2018 the Annual Council had passed a motion addressing theissue, since when an officerworking grouphad drawnup a CDC-wideaction plan, appended to the report. The Overview andScrutiny Committeehad consideredthe planincluding CDC’sown action as an organisationon reducingplastic useand removingplastic altogether wherever possible. As a result of the OSC’s comments, a new drinking fountain with a bottle refilling point had been installed in the East Pallant House reception. This would enable CDC to commit to joining the REFILL scheme, which was an app enabling users to see where they could fill their water bottles for free rather than purchase a single-use plastic bottle. The plan extended beyond CDC’s operations within its own buildings to set out a sustained campaign to work with residents and businesses by making them aware of the alternatives while pressing home the message of responsible disposal through CDC’s recycling and litter bin services. It would build on and complement the current Against Litter campaign. Volunteer-led Plastic-Free Communities had been successfully established across the country and CDC would seek to work with, support and encourage (a) local groups which had already begun this vital work, (b) others to follow suit and (c) local businesses which were taking a lead by (i) using alternatives to single-use plastic packaging, bottles, drinking vessels, straws and cutlery and (ii) promoting the use of re-usable items. The plan set out how further progress beyond these laudable efforts could and would be achieved.

 

Mr Day did not wish to add to Mr Connor’s introduction.

 

Cabinet members expressed their strong endorsement for the action plan and commended what had already been achieved. Mr Barrow pointed out the significant overlap with the Against Litter campaign which he was overseeing and said that the two schemes would work closely together. Mrs Taylor alluded to the positive benefits of children being taught this message through schools and then encouraging their parents to follow their example. Mr Dignum drew attention to the various themes in the action plan.

 

The following non-Cabinet members spoke with Mr Dignum’s consent, some of whom had notified him in advance of their wish to contribute:

 

(1)  Mr A Moss (Fishbourne) commended the action plan and what had already been achieved to address this urgent priority with the many challenges which had to be faced; it was rightly gaining an ever-increasing profile in the media and in many local communities. It was vital, therefore, that CDC was seen to be a leader in tackling this subject. He extended an offer that he and other CDC members could assist in any way to help drive forward this vital project.

 

Mr Connor, Mr Dignum and Mr Day acknowledged Mr Moss’s helpful suggestion. Mr Dignum proposed the creation of a Cabinet task and finish group to include Mr Moss.

 

(2)  Mr A Shaxson (Harting) referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s (OSC) debate of this subject and referred in the action plan to theme reference CDC5 on page 64 within the theme of improving the Council’s performance as an organisation. The OSC and he had queried the feasibility of the December 2018 timescale in action point A) for removing (as opposed to identifying) any remaining SUPS which could easily be removed or substituted from CDC buildings and that it would be more realistic to commit to removing such items in the foreseeable future.  

 

Mr Dignum said that the OSC had acknowledged that some actions could be achieved more quickly than others and those which would take longer, for example because CDC needed to work with suppliers, would be assigned to action point B) in CDC5. He emphasised that the key point in A) was ‘can be easily removed’ and if that were not possible, then it would fall within B) with its longer timescale. He added that most plastics within category A) had already been removed and only one or two remained.

 

Mr Day advised that the text of B) could be amended if required to include SUPS which would take longer to be removed. Mr Dignum said that was a matter for officers.

 

(3)  Mrs L C Purnell (Selsey North) remarked that at the member tour of completed developments on 28 September 2018 plastic water bottles were provided. She had said at the time that this should have been avoided and that instead all members should be provided with a refillable water bottle which they could replenish before they arrived for such an event.   

 

Mr Dignum said that this was a good suggestion and it was duly noted.

 

(4)  Mr S Oakley (Tangmere) referred to the theme of working with local businesses on pages 65 to 66 and he pointed out the need to include the horticulture and agriculture businesses in view of the use of plastic in their operations.

 

Mr Day said that CDC would work with a broad range of businesses. Whilst the action plan focussed on Chichester city, CDC had previously collaborated with those two industries. He was aware that there was a firm which could collect the large quantities of plastic used. It was a difficult issue to address but further work could be done.

 

Mr Connor acknowledged the relevance of the issue and said that there were firms which sought to tackle this problem and CDC would do what it could to encourage that.

 

Mr Dignum cautioned that this aim could not be achieved immediately but it would not be overlooked. The task and finish group would monitor progress with this and all actions. Officers as well as members could raise Mr Oakley’s concern with the horticulture and agriculture industries.

 

Mrs Lintill and Mr Dignum advocated raising this matter with the Petworth Business Association and the Chichester Chamber of Commerce.

 

(5)  Mr R Plowman (Chichester West) mentioned Nature’s Way Food, a major local employer which had created a special team to address the plastics issue and he thought that horticulture had been included and was very much on board. 

Mr Dignum said with agreement of the Cabinet that the recommendation in the report should be amended to include references to the establishment of a task and finish group and working with the horticulture and agriculture industries.

 

Decision

 

The Cabinet voted unanimously on a show of hands to make the resolution set out below.

 

RESOLVED

 

That (a) the Single Use Plastics Action Plan in the appendix to the agenda report be approved and (b) a Cabinet task and finish group be established to monitor implementation of the Action Plan including undertaking work with the horticulture and agriculture industries.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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