Issue - meetings

The Committee was presented with an update on the implementation of the Council’s Single Use Plastic (SUP) Policy and Action Plan.

Following the approval of the SUP Policy in October 2021, an Action Plan to achieve the goals and objectives set out in the Policy was developed. A summary of progress made to date to deliver the SUP Policy and Action Plan was presented.

Caroline Toplis informed the committee that the Climate Change Team had been working with Facilities Management to map the Council’s corporate waste contracts and processes, and to form recommendations for improvements. Work was also being carried out to enable consistency in the provision of bins and signage across the corporate estate. The first stage was an audit of waste facilities that had been carried out at County Hall in January 2023.

In January 2022, the Council had engaged with Surfers Against Sewage to understand the criteria that must be met to become an accredited Plastic Free County Council. The main criteria to be met was for at least 70% of the County’s Parish and Town Councils to have signed up to the commitment and become accredited in their own right. This was a challenging target which would require a significant amount of promotion and co-ordination by the Council and so was not currently being pursued, but would be reassessed on a regular basis.

The Chairman welcomed this report and praised the progress that was being made.

RESOLVED that the Committee notes the update provided on the implementation of the Council’s Single Use Plastic Policy and Action Plan.