Agenda item

The Deputy Director of Residents Services and the Waste Services Manager attended the meeting and provided the background to the Committee's review into the disposal of Charity Shop Waste through the Council's New Years Green Lane Civic Amenity site.

In addition Members were provided with a draft scoping report which provided the reasons for the review.

The Committee was informed that the disposal of waste from charity shops was currently permitted by the Council, free of charge, at New Years Green Lane Civic Amenity Site. Members were informed that this had been a long standing arrangement, which was common amongst local authorities that operated waste disposal or amenity sites.

However, many charities now operated as businesses and disposed of greater quantities of waste through New Years Green Lane. Reference was made to some charity shops which operated on a commercial basis and who could be considered by some retailers as direct competitors. Therefore, providing a free waste disposal service could be considered a public subsidy or state aid to some charities/businesses.

Members were informed that some neighbouring authorities had started charging charities for using waste disposal sites and there was evidence to suggest that some charity waste originated from outside the Borough.

This could be because of the charges introduced in other Boroughs which meant News Years Green was taking waste which should be taken to other Borough's waste sites.

Particular reference was made to house clearances which were undertaken by some charities. Items which could be sold were transferred to charity shops, whilst the remainder was disposed of as mixed waste.

Members were informed that charities did not charge the house owner for disposing of the waste but the Council had to pick up the costs which would have normally been carried either by the estate of the deceased or a waste clearance company..

Legislative context

Reference was made to the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 which gave local authorities the scope to charge for depositing waste from Charity Shops at New Years Green Lane Civic Amenity site.

Financial Cost

Reference was made to the rate for disposal of mixed waste by West London Waste which was £131 per tonne. A breakdown of the waste from charities to New Years Green Lane Civic Amenity Site was provided which in 2015/16 financial year, totalled 262 tonnes.

The cost of disposing of this waste was over £34,000. Members were informed if this charity waste had been treated as trade waste, with the rate per tonne charged at £160; this charity waste could have brought in revenue of over £41,000 to the Council.

Members asked that for the next meeting of the Committee, witnesses be invited from both national and local charities to enable the Committee to establish the waste strategy of these organisations.

In addition officers were asked to contact neighbouring authorities to find out what charging regimes were in place.

The Committee noted that there was a distinction between the "uniformed" charity groups such as Girl Guides, Boy Scouts etc, and the larger charity organisations, which this review would focus on.

The Committee noted that it would be important to be able to track charity waste, to ensure that charity waste disposed of at New Years Green lane, originated from within the Borough.

RESOLVED –

1. That the information provided both in the scoping report and in the presentation by officers, be noted and be taken into consideration as part of the review.