Report to: Report title: Beddington and Wallington Local Committee Beddington Park Textiles and Book Bank Date: 20 October 2015 Report from: Ward/Areas affected: Chair of Committee/Lead Member: Author(s)/Contact Number(s): Mary Morrissey, Strategic Director - Environment, Housing and Regeneration Wallington North Councillor Joyce Melican Amy Harris, Waste Strategy and Community Engagement Manger 020 8770 6389 Corporate Plan Priorities: A Green Council A Smart Council Open/Exempt: Open Signed: Date: 7 October 2015 1. Summary 1.1 The mixed recycling bins were removed from the Beddington Park Neighbourhood Recycling Centre (NRC) in January 2015 following the decision made at the Beddington and Wallington Local Committee on 21 October 2014. Further monitoring of the site has indicated that despite the removal of these bins and additional flytipping prevention measures, flytipping has continued to take place around the remaining recycling banks in Beddington Park car park. This report summarises the flytipping prevention measures, monitoring and makes a recommendation about the future of the textiles and book banks in Beddington Park. 2. Recommendation 2.1 Agree to implement Option 2 (Remove the banks for textiles, books, DVDs and CDs from Beddington Park Car Park) and encourage residents to re-use these materials at other local facilities. 3. Background 3.1 During the Smarter Services review of Sutton s Waste Management service, the Executive made the decision to review the provision of NRC s on an individual basis in areas where people now have adequate arrangements at their own homes.
3.2 The review process involved surveying NRC users, residents that live in the area s surrounding the NRC s, and monitoring complaints and flytipping incidences. The findings were taken to the relevant local committee who made the final decision about the future provision of a specific NRC. The surveys confirmed that the majority of residents surveyed had mixed dry recycling facilities at home and did not use the NRC s often. 3.3 The review of the Beddington Park NRC was presented to the Beddington and Wallington Local Committee on 21 October 2014. The findings indicated that: There were two complaints a month about flytipping, overflowing bins and the general cleanliness of the area surrounding the site The bins were frequently contaminated It is not frequently used by residents and those that use it have access to recycling facilities at home 68% of residents living in the area surrounding Beddington Park, never use the NRC The majority of residents wanted to remove the mixed dry recycling bins but keep the bins for materials that they cannot recycle 3.4 The Committee made the decision to remove the mixed dry recycling bins but keep the bins for materials that they cannot recycle. This decision was implemented in January 2015 and residents in the surrounding area were informed through a targeted communication campaign. 3.5 Following the Committee we agreed to monitor antisocial behaviour after the changes were made to the site. This monitoring of the site has indicated that flytipping has continued to take place around the remaining recycling banks. 3.6 At the Environment and Neighbourhood Committee on 19 June 2015, a decision was made to remove the mixed dry recycling banks from all NRC s across the borough, retaining the banks for materials that cannot be recycled at home. 3.7 Whilst the aim is to maintain all the recycling banks for textiles, books, DVDs and CDs across Sutton. Local Committees can make a decision about the future provision of the recycling banks in their area. 4. Issues Preventing Flytipping 4.1 Over the last 12 months to prevent flytipping at within the Beddington Park Car Park we have: Reduced the height barrier to 1.9m to deter larger vehicles Organised for the gates to be locked earlier in the evening Ensured our Street Cleansing Team visit Beddington Park four times a week to remove flytipping Taken enforcement action against the people responsible for flytipping whenever we have been able to identify them Worked with our textiles and book bank operators to increase the frequency of collection and therefore reduce the temptation to place bags of clothes on the ground near to the bins
4.2 We have considered installing CCTV in the car park. The indicative costs for an overt (visible) re-deployable camera on a 5-year support contract which includes 10 camera moves per year would be approximately 30k. It would cost approximately 200 for signage informing car park users of the CCTV surveillance to be installed. 4.3 There are two codes of practice in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. These cover surveillance by covert cameras and the general use of CCTV and came into place in November 2014. 4.4 Under the RIPA codes, the covert use of cameras for flytipping is considered directed covert surveillance and as such requires authorisation under RIPA. RIPA states that authorisation for covert surveillance will only be considered if it is proportionate to what is sought to be achieved by carrying it out. It further states that covert surveillance should not be granted for low level crimes such as flytipping. It is therefore not legal to use covert cameras for enforcement of flytipping within Beddington Park. Monitoring Flytipping 4.5 Street Cleansing visits Beddington Park Car Park everyday to check for flytipping and remove when it is present. They report that there is flytipping there three to four times a week. The flytipping present comprises: Textiles that residents have been unable to place in the bins provided Other household waste including black sacks and bulky waste items Business waste such as rubble 4.6 During March and April 2015, a monitoring exercise was conducted across all of our recycling sites. The results showed that at Beddington on all but one occasion that the site was visited, there was flytipping present. 4.7 The costs of collecting and disposing of flytipping from Beddington Park have been estimated at around 21,020 a year. This is based on the information gathered while monitoring the site. 4.8 We have also continued to receive complaints and enquiries about continued flytipping at the Beddington Park Car Park. Recycling 4.9 In 2014/15, 3.2 tonnes of textiles were collected from Beddington Park. This brought it an income of 1,340, which was used to offset the costs of the waste management service. The tonnage of textiles collected from Beddington Park has increased by 50% between April and August 2015 in comparison to the same period last year. 4.10 In 2014/15, 1.5 tonnes of books, DVDs and CDs were collected from Beddington Park. The income this generates goes to the British Heart Foundation, who manages the bank. The tonnage of books, DVDs and CDs collected from Beddington Park has increased by about a third between April and August 2015 in comparison to the same period last year.
4.11 The total tonnage collected from the banks at Beddington Park in 2014/15 was 0.01% of our total recycling rate. Other Local Re-use Facilities 4.12 The nearest recycling banks to Beddington Park are Shotfield Car Park and Carshalton High Street Car Park. 4.13 There are a number of charities and community organisations in the surrounding area that accept good quality textiles, books, DVD s and CD s including British Heart Foundation, Oxfam, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Sue Ryder Care and Cancer Research UK. The Pavilion Cafe and a number of stations including Carshalton Beeches host book exchange areas. These charities and community organisations would benefit from extra donations of these materials. 4.14 There are also a number of local online reuse organisations like Freecycle and Freegle, which help residents to unwanted items to someone that would find them valuable. 5. Options Considered 5.1 The following options were considered: Option One Keep the recycling banks for textiles and books, DVDs and CDs Option Two Remove the banks for textiles, books, DVDs and CDs and encourage residents to re-use these materials at other local facilities. 5.2 Option Two will entail a comprehensive communications plan. 6. Conclusion 6.1 Given the continued flytipping in Beddington Park Car Park, it is proposed to remove the recycling banks for textiles, books, DVDs and CDs. 6.2 The agreement to a proposal will be supported by a communication campaign to inform residents of the change in local facility and how they can re-use these materials locally. Information will also be sent to managing agents and businesses, where appropriate. 7. Impacts and Implications Financial 7.1 The costs associated with communicating the changes made to residents near to Beddington Park will be around 250. 7.2 The removal of the textiles and book recycling banks will be undertaken by the organisation that provided them. We will not be charged for this. 7.3 The textiles collected at Beddington Park bring in an income of approximately 1,500 a year. 7.4 There will be cost savings associated with reduced flytipping. The costs of collecting and disposing of flytipping from Beddington Park have been estimated at around 21,020 a year.
Legal 7.5 None Communities 7.6 Communities near to Beddington Park would lose a local recycling facility for textiles, books, DVDs and CDs. The nearest alternative facilities are Shotfield Car Park and Carshalton High Street Car Park. 7.7 The communities that use Beddington Park will see a reduction of flytipping and an improvement in the appearance of the car park. One Planet Sutton 7.8 There is the potential that we would lose 0.01% of our recycling rate by removing the banks for textiles, books, DVDs and CDs from Beddington Park. However, the communication campaigns will provide information about where these items can be re-used and recycled locally. Integrated Impact Assessment 7.9 An integrated impact assessment has been completed. It concludes that group affected by the removal of the remaining recycling banks are those that use these banks to recycle textiles, books, DVDs and CDs. Mitigation measures will be put in place such as providing these residents with information about alternative places that they can be re-used and recycled. 8. Appendices and Background Documents Appendix Letter None. Title Background Documents Integrated Impact Assessment Audit Trail Version Final Date: 7 October 2015 Consultation with other officers Officer Comments Sought Comments checked by Finance Yes Christine Little Legal No