Issue - meetings

Woking Borough Council Single Use Plastics (SUP) Policy

Meeting: 25/07/2019 - Council (Item 9)

Woking Borough Council Single Use Plastics (SUP) Policy. EXE19-039

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor K M Davis, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, introduced the recommendation of the Executive for the adoption of a policy on Single Use Plastics (SUP).  Councillor Howard, Shadow Portfolio Holder, further welcomed the proposals.

RESOLVED

That (i)    the proposal for a Woking Borough Council Single Use Plastic (SUP) Policy be agreed, subject to amendments by the Executive;

          (ii)   the final policy be supported and published on the website;

          (iii) delegated authority be given to the Green Infrastructure Manager, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, to approve future updates to the Borough Council’s SUP Policy;

          (iv) formal support be given to the Surrey Environment Partnership SUP Strategy and Action Plan;

          (v)   local initiatives to address SUP reduction in Woking Borough be supported, such as Plastic Free Communities; and

          (vi) the Council removes all single use plastics from its estate, and the services it provides directly, by the end of 2020, as far as is practicable.


Meeting: 06/06/2019 - Executive (Item 7)

7 Woking Borough Council Single Use Plastics (SUP) Policy EXE19-039 pdf icon PDF 121 KB

Reporting Person – Douglas Spinks

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor K M Davis, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, introduced the report which sought approval of the Executive to recommend to Council the adoption of a Woking Borough Council Single Use Plastics (SUP) Policy.  Councillor Davis advised that the Climate Change Working Group had been consulted on the proposed Policy at its meeting on 14 March 2019.  Attention was drawn to paragraph 5.1 of the report which set out the positive steps taken by the Borough Council to reduce the amount of avoidable single use plastics, such as the launch of Refill Woking in the Town Centre and the installation of two new bottle filling stations in Albion Square.

Councillor Davis proposed an additional recommendation to the report in order to strengthen the Council’s commitment regarding single use plastics.  The proposed additional recommendation, which was seconded by Councillor Kemp, to read “the Council removes all single use plastics from its estate, and the services it provides directly, by the end of 2020, as far as is practicable”.  The Executive agreed the additional recommendation.

Following a question regarding the term ‘Council estate’ used in the report, it was explained that the term referred to areas which the Council had control over at an operational level and which were directly owned by the Council.  The Portfolio Holder suggested that the Climate Change Working Group consider what could be included under ‘Council estate’ in terms of single use plastics.

Following a question regarding littering from vehicles, the Executive was advised that further work was required around identification of perpetrators and enforcement.  However, a reference to this would be incorporated into the Policy before it was considered by Council.

REcommended to Council

That  (i)    the proposal for a Woking Borough Council Single Use Plastic (SUP) Policy be agreed, subject to amendments by the Executive;

          (ii)   the final policy be supported and published on the website;

          (iii)  delegated authority be given to the Green Infrastructure Manager, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, to approve future updates to the Borough Council’s SUP Policy;

          (iv)  formal support be given to the Surrey Environment Partnership SUP Strategy and Action Plan;

          (v)   local initiatives to address SUP reduction in Woking Borough be supported, such as Plastic Free Communities; and

          (vi)  the Council removes all single use plastics from its estate, and the services it provides directly, by the end of 2020, as far as is practicable.

Reason:   To seek support for these policies and initiatives as part of delivery of the Borough’s climate change and sustainability strategy – Woking 2050.