The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Cotswold District Council met on Monday 4 November 2024 to review updates on community safety, waste services, and the council's draft budget. The committee was scheduled to discuss progress on the Cotswold Community Safety Partnership plan, feedback on the recent waste collection round rezoning project, and an update on waste services including climate change objectives. A significant portion of the meeting was also dedicated to the draft budget for 2025/26 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Community Safety Partnership Update

The committee was provided with an update on the 'Cotswold Community Safety Partnership' (CSP) plan for the period of April 2024 to September 2024. The report detailed the partnership's work and achievements against its action plan, which includes priorities such as engaging communities, supporting victims of domestic abuse, addressing serious violence, preventing antisocial behaviour, tackling crimes of local concern, creating safe roads, and supporting children and young people. The partnership operates under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which mandates responsible authorities to consider the implications of their activities on crime and disorder. The Serious Violence Duty (SVD), which became statute law on 31 January 2023, was also highlighted as a new priority for the CSP, requiring a strategy to prevent and reduce serious violence. The committee was asked to note the overall progress of the partnership and to agree any recommendations for the Cabinet meeting on 7 November.

Feedback on Waste Round Rezoning

A report was presented to the committee detailing feedback on the recent waste collection round rezoning project. This project, a collaboration between Ubico and Publica, aimed to generate operational efficiencies, with forecast savings of £0.5 million annually. The report outlined the pre-go-live communications and preparations, as well as operational challenges encountered, including a significant increase in staff absence levels. Performance data was presented, showing a gradual week-on-week improvement in missed bin collections following the rezoning, with services broadly achieving pre-go-live levels. The report also discussed the customer journey for reporting missed bins and outlined plans for a review of this process.

Waste Services Update

The committee received an update on waste services, focusing on environmental performance. Questions were addressed regarding the transportation of waste from North Cotswolds, the potential for waste transfer stations, and the greening of the waste fleet. The report indicated that Ubico is tasked with reducing mileage and fuel consumption, with a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) tracking CO2e emissions. Discussions included the exploration of alternative fuel vehicles, such as battery electric vehicles, and the potential for installing solar power at depots. The report also confirmed Cotswold District Council's compliance with the Consistency in Recycling Collections Policy objectives and addressed the potential impact of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) on the council's revenue and costs. Efforts to move waste through the waste hierarchy, including reuse and repair initiatives, were also discussed.

Draft Budget 2025/26 and Medium Term Financial Strategy

The committee was scheduled to consider the draft budget for 2025/26 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy. This item was marked as To follow in the agenda, indicating that detailed documentation was expected to be provided. The invited officers for this item were Councillor Mike Evemy, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, and Simon Anthony, Business Manager for Environmental Services.

Updates from Gloucestershire County Council Scrutiny Committees

Updates were provided on the work of external scrutiny bodies. Councillor Angus Jenkinson reported on the Gloucestershire Economic Strategy Scrutiny Committee (GESSC), noting the transition from the previous Gloucestershire Economic Strategy Scrutiny Committee (GEGSC). He highlighted concerns regarding the governance arrangements of the GESSC, its limited remit, and the lack of input from the committee on the Gloucestershire Economic Strategy. Councillor Dilys Neill was scheduled to provide an update from the Gloucestershire Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Work Plan and Forward Plan

The committee was asked to note and review its work plan and to select Cabinet decisions for pre-decision scrutiny at future committee meetings. The report pack included the Work Plan October 2024- May 2025 Overview and Scrutiny, outlining planned items for discussion.