The Devon Authorities Strategic Waste Committee met on Wednesday 21 October 2026, electing Councillor Adam Billings as Chair and Councillor Geoff Jung as Vice-Chair. The committee approved the budget proposal for 2027/28, totalling £191,000, and noted the performance statistics for 2025/26, recognising the positive impact of the Shared Savings Scheme.

East Devon - New Local Authority Trading Company Service

The committee received a presentation on East Devon District Council's new Local Authority Trading Company (LATCo), named Eden Serve. This initiative was established as an alternative to a private contractor when the previous contract with Suez ended. The LATCo aims to provide greater local control over waste and recycling services, ensuring flexibility and future-proofing. Key workstreams involved in the transition included staff transfer, operational setup, systems management, health and safety compliance, and commercial agreements. The presentation highlighted the governance structure, with Eden Serve operating as an independent entity with its own board, overseen by a shareholder committee on behalf of the council. Councillors discussed the benefits of such a model, including quicker decision-making and the potential for diversification into other council services and commercial markets. Concerns were raised about the rationale for setting up a separate company rather than bringing services fully in-house, with officers explaining that a LATCo offers more commercial flexibility and the ability to generate revenue that can be returned to the council. The discussion also touched upon the transfer of staff from Suez, with existing terms and conditions being protected under TUPE regulations, while new starters are employed on Eden Serve's own terms.

Waste Performance Statistics

The committee reviewed the waste performance statistics for 2025/26, noting a slight reduction in Devon's recycling rate to 53.4% and Torbay's to 39.8%. Despite this, several Devon Waste Collection Authorities (WCAs) maintained recycling rates above 50%. Exeter showed a welcome increase in its recycling rate to 32.6%. The report highlighted the challenge of meeting the 65% recycling target by 2035, with a need for significant future initiatives. The Shared Savings Scheme, a 10-year initiative co-designed by Devon County Council and district councils, was recognised for its contribution to transforming waste services and reducing disposal costs, having generated approximately £24 million in savings and enabling participating authorities to reinvest £12 million into local waste services. The committee resolved to support future initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of waste and recycling services. Discussions also covered the impact of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging, Simpler Recycling, and the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), as well as concerns about fly-tipping and the carbon footprint of waste collection services. The committee also noted the performance statistics for 2025/26 and supported future initiatives to improve waste and recycling services.

Budget Proposal for 2027/28

The committee approved the budget proposal for 2027/28, totalling £191,000, and a carry forward of £37,622. The budget includes allocations for the Don't Let Devon Go To Waste campaign (£41,000), the Food Waste Participation Project (£65,000), and Clean Devon initiatives (£20,000). A significant allocation of £65,000 was also approved for a waste analysis, which is conducted every five years to understand the composition of residual waste and inform future communications and service improvements. The committee also noted the current year's budget position, with an underspend of £34,096. Discussions also addressed the potential membership of Keep Britain Tidy, with officers to investigate costs and implications, including concerns raised by the public health team regarding tobacco industry funding. The committee agreed to make a decision on Keep Britain Tidy membership via email or Chair's action after further information is circulated. Additionally, officers were tasked with investigating a school litter-picking pilot proposal called Pick Pals, with a decision on proceeding to be made based on the circulated information and available budget.

Food Waste Participation Project Update

A presentation was given on the progress of the Food Waste Participation Project, which aims to replicate the success of a pilot in Teignbridge across other districts. The project uses wearable technology, specifically smartwatches, to monitor collection rounds and identify households not participating in food waste services. Targeted interventions, such as bin hangers and stickers, are then delivered to encourage participation. The pilot in Teignbridge achieved a 43% take-up rate, with sustained participation observed five months later. Challenges in rolling out the project across different districts were discussed, including the time commitment for operational teams, variations in collection schedules, and technical constraints with the app and GPS lag. Solutions being implemented include trialling a shorter seven-week intervention model and enhancing pay for loader pluses who gather data. Several districts have commenced or are planning pilots, with positive initial results reported. The project has also received national recognition, being shortlisted for two awards.

Future Meetings

The committee noted the dates of future meetings scheduled for 3 February 2027, 8 June 2027, 20 October 2027, and 8 February 2028. Councillor Jacqi Hodgson requested that a presentation from a litter picker group be ideally included in a future meeting.