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AGENDA R |
Extraordinary Council Meeting
TUESDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2024
6:00 PM
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Extraordinary Council Meeting 20 February 2024 |
Live Streaming of Council Meeting
In the spirit of open, accessible and transparent government, this meeting of the Inner West Council is being streamed live on Council’s website. By speaking at a Council meeting, members of the public agree to being recorded and must ensure their speech to the Council is respectful and use appropriate language. A person who uses defamatory, discriminatory or offensive language may be exposed to liability for which Council takes no responsibility. Any part of this meeting that is held in closed session will not be recorded.
Council meetings are streamed live on Council’s website. This allows our community greater access to Council proceedings, decisions and debate.
Pre-Registration to Speak at Council Meetings
Members of the public must register by 2pm of the day of the Meeting to speak at Council Meetings. If you wish to register to speak please fill in a Register to Speak Form, available from the Inner West Council website, including:
Are there any rules for speaking at a Council Meeting?
The following rules apply when addressing a Council meeting:
What happens after I submit the form?
You will be contacted by Governance Staff to confirm your registration. If you indicated that you will speak online, you will be provided with a link to the online meeting. Your request will then be added to a list that is shown to the Chairperson on the night of the meeting.
Where Items are deferred, Council reserves the right to defer speakers until that Item is heard on the next occasion.
Accessibility
Inner West Council is committed to ensuring people with a disability have equal opportunity to take part in Council and Committee Meetings. At the Council Chambers at Ashfield, there is a hearing loop service available to assist persons with a hearing impairment. If you have any other access or disability related participation needs and wish to know more, call 9392 5536.
Persons in the public gallery are advised that under the Local Government Act 1993, a person may NOT record a Council meeting without the permission of Council.
Any persons found recording without authority will be expelled from the meeting.
“Record” includes the use of any form of audio, video and still camera equipment or mobile phone capable of recording speech.
An audio recording of this meeting will be taken for the purpose of verifying the accuracy of the minutes.
Statement of Ethical Obligations
The Mayor and Councillors are bound by the Oath/ Affirmation of Office made at the start of the Council term to undertake their civic duties in the best interests of the people of the Inner West Council and to faithfully and impartially carry out the functions, powers, authorities and discretions vested in them under the Local Government Act or any other Act, to the best of their skill and judgement.
It is also a requirement that the Mayor and Councillors disclose conflicts of interest in relation to items listed for consideration on the Agenda or which are considered at this meeting in accordance with Council’s Code of Conduct and Code of Meeting Practice.
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Extraordinary Council Meeting 20 February 2024 |
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AGENDA |
1 Acknowledgement of Country
2 Apologies and Request for Remote Attendance
3 Notice of Webcasting
4 Statement of Ethical Obligations
5 Disclosures
of Interest (Part 4 (Pecuniary Interests) and Part 5 (non-pecuniary
conflicts of interest) of Council’s Code of Conduct)
6 Moment of Quiet Contemplation
7 Public Forum – Hearing from All Registered Speakers
8 Condolence Motions
Nil at the time of printing.
9 Mayoral Minutes
Nil at the time of printing.
10 Reports for Council Decision
Nil at the time of printing.
11 Reports for Noting
ITEM Page
C0224(2) Item 1 FOGO (Food Recycling) Update - February 2024 5
12 Notices of Motion
ITEM Page
C0224(2) Item 2 Notice of Motion: More Support for Food Recycling in the Inner West 9
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Extraordinary Council Meeting 20 February 2024 |
Subject: FOGO (Food Recycling) Update - February 2024
Prepared By: Helen Bradley - Manager Resource Recovery Planning
Authorised By: Peter Gainsford - General Manager
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RECOMMENDATION
That Council receive and note the report. |
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE
This report supports the following strategic directions contained within Council’s Community Strategic Plan:
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1: An ecologically sustainable Inner West |
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DISCUSSION
Council commenced the FOGO food recycling service on the 9th October 2023 and as of the 5 February had collected over 6,106 Tonnes of FOGO in the first 17 weeks of the service. This equates to 12,822 tonnes CO2, equivalent emissions of taking 7,994 cars of the road.
The tonnages collected for the Month of December was 1,527 and January 1,862 which is greater than our modelling suggested of approximately 1,122 tonnes per month if we recovered half of the available food from the garbage bin.
Inner West Council picks up approximately 178,000 bins per week across all waste streams and dwelling types. The implementation has required a realignment of our waste calendar to better align the new service, including the accommodation of the multi-unit dwellings being serviced weekly with garbage and FOO (food only) through the entire area. This requires adjustment for not only our waste collection staff and contractors but also residents.
Industry standard for missed bins is 0.5% of total services which would equate to approximately 890 missed for the Inner West each week. For the weekend ending 2 February Council has 419 missed services reported. Service data indicates that about 50% of these are not actual missed services, but residents reporting a missed service in the off week for garbage.
The number of weekly waste phone calls and customer requests are gradually reducing, and we are averaging about 269 calls per day in the week ending 2nd February from a peak of 800 per day in October 2023 to under 300 per day prior to Christmas (all waste enquiries and requests, not limited to FOGO). 126 of these calls were FOGO related, averaging 25 per day.
Council has been promoting access to the online waste calendar as the single source of truth for residents confirming their bin collection details, with the waste calendar pages receiving more than 320,936 views. This is now reflected in the number of residents presenting their red or yellow bin on the wrong week for collection which was reduced to less than 10% of households. This is being addressed through education to households via the collection crews and waste busters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Other than missed bins which were discussed above, most requests are about;
1. Upsizing Red Lid Garbage bins
2. Booked Overflow Red Lid Garbage Bin collection
3. Supply of starter kits and liners
4. Community Education via waste busters
1. Upsizing Red Lid Garbage Bins.
To help assist residents who are struggling with a fortnightly collection of the 120-litre red lidded bin, Council is offered a 240-litre bin. Council has delivered 3,774 upsized 240-litre red lidded Garbage bins since FOGO commenced.
2. Booked Overflow Red Lid Garbage Bin Collection
Optimo, Council’s current booking system for clean-up bookings, has been active since 9 October 2023 to support residents that would like to book the alternate week collection. Council clean-up and extra red-lid bin collection - Inner West Council (nsw.gov.au)
The booked system gives residents opportunity to adapt waste sorting behaviour before committing to an upsizing of bin. 1,200 bookings are available on each collection day and bookings are steady at around 85 per day (lowest 34 and highest 137 bookings on any day), equating to approximately 850 households using the service per fortnight.
3. Waste Busters Waste Busters - Inner West Council (nsw.gov.au)
The Waste Busters have started to contact households with contaminated/ rejected FOGO bins or presenting in the off week without a booking and lodging a missed service.
Updates
Rebate for Reusable Nappies
$30,000 was allocated by council resolution for the nappy and sanitary rebate which opened on 9 October to enable households to try subsidised reusable nappies or sanitary products and reduce the amount of garbage in their red lid bin. Residents buy the items of their choice and submit their simple application and their receipt to qualify for the rebate (up to $150 for reusable nappies and $100 for sanitary products).
Inner West Council's Rebately | Reusable Cloth Nappies
On 29 January 2024, three hundred rebates had been claimed ($17,771 of $30,000 available);
· Reusable cloth nappies – 73 claims to the value of $5,922.39
· Reusable sanitary products – 227 claims to the value of $11,848
FOGO Community Champions Cornersmith
Workshops and social media commenced mid-October and was completed in mid-December 2023. Cornersmith workshops:
· Inner West Sustainability Hub, Summer Hill on Thursday 26 October - 35 attendees
· Balmain Town Hall – Saturday 26 November (rescheduled from 4 Nov) -16 attendees
· Marrickville Pavillion – Saturday 2 December - 20 attendees
Facebook and Instagram – Socials reels were posted by Cornersmith using FOGO Fridge Check and featuring the kitchen benchtop bin and compostable liners.
Cornersmith noted that the FOGO Fridge check Friday series performed better on Instagram than Facebook.
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Date posted |
Post description |
Performance |
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22 October 2023 |
24,982 impressions |
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26 October 2023 |
22,834 plays |
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3 November 2023 |
19,361 plays |
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10 November 2023 |
21,076 plays |
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17 November 2023 |
12,498 plays |
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24 November 2023 |
Jaffles |
22,000 plays |
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1 December 2023 |
18,984 plays |
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9 December 2023 |
12,045 plays |
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16 December 2023 |
Series outro/review |
15,525 plays |
Adventure Kids Entertainment have undertaken FOGO performances across the Inner West Primary schools and have booked in schools, inner West Early learning centres and libraries through to March 2024. Feedback has been positive with children loving the interactive approach and FOGO songs. Upcoming events are detailed below if Councillors wish to attend, please notify Helen Bradley who will inform the school and Adventure Kid's Entertainment on your behalf.
Primary Schools
· St Peters Public School - Wednesday 14 February from 2:10pm to 3pm
· Globe Pre-School – Thursday 15 February 2024 from 10am to 11am
· Yeo Park Public School – Tuesday 12 March 2024 from 2:30pm to 3:20pm
Inner West Early Learning Centres
· John McMahon Children's Centre, Birchgrove - Wednesday 7 February 2024 from 10am to 11am
· May Murray Early Learning Centre, Marrickville - Thursday 8 February 2024 from 10am to 11am
· Tillman Park Early Learning Centre, Tempe - Friday 9 February 2024 from 10am to 11am
Inner West Libraries
· Leichhardt Library -10 January 10:30-11:30
· St Peters Library – 11 January 13:00 – 14:00
· Ashfield Library – 15 January 10:30-11:30
· Emanuel Tsardoulias Community Library Dulwich Hill – 13 February1 0:30-11:30
· Balmain Library – 14 February 10:30-11:30
Compostable liner supply and delivery
Council currently offers collection of compostable liners (bags) at Inner West Customer Service Centres and libraries.
An initial pack of 40 compostable liners was provided to FOGO households as part of the starter kit. Based on usage of 3 liners per week this is a 13 week/3-month supply to end December 2023.
All single dwellings (approximately 50,000 houses) were delivered a roll of 75 compostable bags in December 2023. Based on usage of 3 liners per week this is a 25 week/6-month supply to May 2024.
Council officers are preparing options for Council's consideration for future supply of compostable bags noting below the current policy of Randwick and Penrith.
1. Randwick Council currently offers 6 monthly delivery of bags and encourages residents to buy their own, use paper or go bag free in the interim Order new FOGO caddy liners - Randwick City Council (nsw.gov.au)
2. Penrith offers quarterly delivery (opt-in) and promotes pick up from council offices and libraries. FOGO FAQ - Penrith City Council (nsw.gov.au)
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Fully funded via Domestic Waste Budget for ongoing operational costs and implementation funded via the NSW EPA (Environment Protection Authority) Grant and any additional costs to the above budget will be funded from the Domestic Waste Reserve.
Nil.
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Extraordinary Council Meeting 20 February 2024 |
Subject: Notice of Motion: More Support for Food Recycling in the Inner West
From: Councillors The Mayor, Councillor Darcy Byrne and Councillor Mathew Howard
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MOTION
1. That Council note that the new food recycling service has resulted in 5900 tonnes of organic material being converted to compost, instead of being dumped at landfill, which has resulted in a reduction of approximately 12,358 tonnes of carbon (Co2) emissions.
2. That Council Provide a new opt-in weekly red bin collection service for households that wish to access it. This service is to be provided on the following terms: a) households are able to register for the service once and then receive the collection on an ongoing basis; b) no fee is to be charged for the service for a period of 2 years with the necessity of the service to be reviewed in 2026; and c) commencement of the new service is to be as soon as possible.
3. That Council authorise funding for the service to be drawn from Council’s waste reserve, with authority delegated to the General Manager to enter into any necessary contract with an external provider, to ensure expedited commencement of the service.
4. That Council receive a report to the March 2024 Ordinary meeting on the commencement of the opt-in weekly red bin service and the outcome of any procurement process. |
Background
Food recycling in the Inner West is proving to be huge success with large-scale uptake across the community leading to very high tonnages of organic waste being recycled and the carbon emissions of the Inner West community being massively reduced.
Since the start of the new service in October we have diverted 5900 tonnes of organic waste to compost, instead of rotting in landfill.
The methane and carbon emissions saved from this is the equivalent of having taken more than 7000 cars off the road for one year.
This represents the single biggest contribution the Inner West community has ever made to reducing emissions and combating climate change.
Together, Inner West citizens have made this effort, to change the way we deal with waste, and the vast majority of households have adapted to the new system. Many local people are reporting that they are proud to be making a difference for our environment through food recycling.
Assistance for residents has included offering a free, larger 240 litre red bin, which 3600 households have taken up, as well as a free, additional red bin collection which residents can book online.
We committed in October to assessing the support being provided to households after the initial roll-out and to taking a pragmatic approach to ensure the ongoing success of food recycling in the Inner West.
While most households have successfully made the transition to food recycling, the roll-out has demonstrated that some residents are still finding the change challenging.
In particular, families with small children who need to dispose of nappies, and larger households with larger volumes of waste, have reported difficulty with adjusting to the fortnightly red bin collection.
To ensure the ongoing success of Inner West food recycling and that all local residents are receiving the service and support they need, Council should now provide further support in the form of an opt-in weekly red bin collection for households that need it.
Council officers estimate that if 15 per cent of households take up this new, opt-in service, the cost would be approximately $1 million per annum.
There are currently 2 appropriate Council vehicles available to provide the additional service as well as some staffing capacity.
Inquiries by Council officers also indicate that, if needed, there is capacity from private providers to commence this service within a short timeframe.
Council should assess the demand for the additional, opt-in service and, if required due to capacity constraints, contract additional external provision, in order to make this support available to all residents who need it.
Officer’s Comments:
No further comments were required for this Notice of Motion.
