The Environment & Economy Select Committee met to discuss improvements to waste and recycling services, particularly in residential flat blocks, and to review the committee's work programme. The committee received a presentation on waste and recycling from Stevenage Direct Services Officers, reviewed notes from a site visit to low-rise residential flat blocks, and discussed the Environment & Economy Select Committee Work Programme 2025-26. The committee agreed to proceed with the current scoping document for the review on waste and recycling in flat blocks.

Waste and Recycling in Flat Blocks

The committee received a presentation from Stevenage Direct Services Officers regarding waste and recycling collection from residential blocks, as part of a review of waste and recycling in flat blocks. The review was prompted by an increasing number of flat developments in Stevenage, and a recognition that recycling rates at flats are historically low.

The presentation highlighted that approximately 8,000 properties in Stevenage are flats (21% of the town's properties), and that many blocks lack adequate space or access for wheeled bins, which leads to issues with contamination and excess waste. High-rise blocks and refuse chutes pose additional challenges.

The presentation also covered the findings of a flat block recycling pilot scheme that was completed in 2023. The pilot involved the installation of new infrastructure, signage and bins at six sites across Stevenage. Post-installation monitoring showed a 185% increase in recycling, equating to an estimated £3,500 of additional recycling revenue annually at those six sites, based on 2023 prices. Phase 2 of the pilot is underway and set for completion in Autumn 2025, at four new sites.

A survey of 74 flat blocks identified as currently having no recycling found that the principal barrier to providing recycling capabilities was access, with steps leading to, or down into, the grounds where current bin provision is located. The officers presenting the report stated that these steps pose a challenge to safely manoeuvre bins for emptying waste and recycling.

The presentation outlined a number of proposed improvements to flat block recycling facilities, including:

• New signage
• Standardised bins
• Access ramps to replace steps
• Improvements to existing bin stores
• Construction of new bin stores

The estimated cost of these works is £700,000, and the project is expected to be completed by March 2026, with an initial 6-month review of impact in Autumn 2026.

The presentation also showcased a Stevenage Borough Council-designed wheeled bin that has been trialled at one block, and outlined a number of communication initiatives that are planned to support the structural improvement works, including updated signage, consistent bin stickers, tailored service leaflets, resident engagement, and a dedicated communications plan.

Finally, the presentation addressed the issue of bring banks¹, of which there are currently 13 across the town. These are intended for residents with excess recycling and flats without recycling, but are subject to daily reports of misuse and fly-tipping. Fly-tipping at bring banks accounted for 40% of all incidents cleared in 2024/25. Improvements were completed across eight sites in June 2025, but problems with fly-tipping remain. Officers suggested that future opportunities at bring sites could include improving operational efficiency, reducing vehicle usage and emissions, and improving service.

The committee also reviewed notes from a site visit to four low-rise flat blocks on Vardon Road, Douglas Drive, Derby Way and Sefton Road. Members made observations about the suitability of the sites for bin stores, access issues, and the potential for complaints from neighbouring properties. The notes also mentioned issues with fly-tipping at the bring bank site at The Oval shops, and discussed the use of CCTV to monitor fly-tipping.

Environment & Economy Select Committee Work Programme 2025-26

The committee reviewed the draft Work Programme for the 2025–26 municipal year, and agreed to proceed with the current scoping document for the review on waste and recycling in flat blocks.

The minutes of the previous meeting on 11 June 2025 record that waste and recycling, particularly in relation to flat blocks, would be a key area of focus, and that the programme included a proposed site visit to compare a high-performing block with one facing recycling challenges.

The committee agreed that the review would initially focus on council-owned blocks, but that efforts would be made to engage with private landlords and managing agents to promote best practice.

The committee also agreed that its work should prioritise waste reduction, not solely increasing recycling rates, and that this linked directly to the council's broader work on tackling the climate emergency.

Other areas of focus in the work programme include fly-tipping, active travel and transport accessibility, and green space strategies.

Environment & Economy Select Committee Action Tracker 2025

The committee discussed the Environment & Economy Select Committee Action Tracker 2025, and agreed to remove legacy or outdated items unlikely to be revisited, in order to ensure the committee's limited time and resources are used effectively.

Councillor Leanne Brady, Chair of Environment and Economy Select Committee, proposed removing tracker items which were no longer actionable or relevant, including COVID-19 economic impact, neighbourhood centres, and Post Office provision.

The committee agreed that the indoor market did not require a full scrutiny project due to ongoing developments but would benefit from a brief update, and for the rail station update to remain on the tracker, but to be condensed, as progress was already underway and known to members.

A member commented on the proposal to remove the Post Office item, noting recent failures to provide a post office in the Old Town and highlighting the lack of local banking services, which negatively affected residents and businesses reliant on cash. Councillor Brady reiterated that such issues may fall under the Community Scrutiny Committee's remit, not this committee.