URL: https://stroud.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=327

Decision Maker: Environment Committee

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: Report to reinforce the original letter sent to the MP regarding advocating the existing Voluntary Code of Practice for Food on the Go be made mandatory.

Content: The Community Services Environment Manager explained that the Litter Code of Practice was a historic document. He explained that the district had committed volunteers, including a Litter and Clean Environment Member Champion appointed by the Council, who focused on litter and on engaging businesses to take responsibility for the waste their organisations produced. The Code of Practice was currently a voluntary framework, and the report identified the actions Stroud District Council (SDC) could take around enforcement, licensing and planning.   The report requested that a letter be written to Government advocating for change and for the Code of Practice to be updated requesting statutory functions be implemented for businesses to adhere to. SDC had previously tried to engage with businesses through letters and in late 2022, the previous Chair and Vice Chair of Committee had written to the Stroud MP requesting the code be made mandatory.   The following responses were provided to Members’ questions: ·   In addition to the written letters to businesses, Officers had also made direct contact with businesses, such as supermarkets, with some engagement through meetings, however actions following the meetings had not been as forthcoming as hoped. ·   Support for the Code of Practice could be strengthened by Members making use of their relationships with businesses in their wards. ·   Enforcement sat with the wider Community Services Team, Officers were required to witness the act taking place in order to take enforcement action. The Community Services Environment Manager agreed to check whether any Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) had been issued by Community Officers in the past twelve months and to report back to Members outside the meeting. Officers were working to stand up software which would allow for Civil Penalty Notices to be issued to help record littering from vehicles. ·   Only authorised Officers were able to issue FPNs, the Community Services Environment Manager advised they would confirm to Members outside of Committee the number of Officers in SDC who held those enforcement powers. ·   Officers did not have a breakdown of how the £1m budget was allocated across the street cleansing service. The Community Services Environment Manager advised he would provide an estimate outside of Committee after further investigation. ·   There were litter hotspots across the district which were typically located around supermarkets and lay-by’s and Officers were making use of technologies for plotting requests for litter clearances spatially but did require further resource. ·   There were no figures currently on how much additional resource would be needed to the Council if the code was made mandatory to ensure compliance through enforcement. The financial implications listed in the report stated a further budget request would be required. ·   SDC currently did not have to pay for the disposal of litter into the incinerator as it was currently a cost for Gloucestershire County Council (GCC). However, with Local Government Reorganisation and SDC proceeding through unitarisation, this would change. ·   Simpler recycling was currently being implemented. ·   Councillor Thomas provided further background regarding the work she had undertaken within a number of areas locally, including engagement with large businesses in the district within the last 18 months. She outlined several challenges and noted that making the Code mandatory would give businesses greater impetus to engage, adding that all road verges were considered hotspots. ·   Councillor Thomas explained that GCC were not taking responsibility for litter on highways, however unitarisation could improve this.   Councillor Canning commended the work of Councillor Thomas and all volunteers across the Stroud District and requested that an action be taken away to consider what recognition could be given to them.   Proposed by Councillor Thomas, seconded by Councillor Dutton.   The Chair proposed a friendly amendment as follows:   The Committee RESOLVES to: i)             Request the Leader of the Council write to the Prime Minister, relevant ministers and all Gloucestershire based MPs, to endorse the work of the Gloucestershire Resources and Waste Partnership, seeking national support and advocating that the Voluntary Code of Practice for Food on the Go, be reviewed, with a view to making it made mandatory whilst ensuring any revised regulations are proportionate. ii)            Delegate authority to the Litter and Clean Environment Member Champion, to write to local authorities and other public sector organisations in Gloucestershire and neighbouring other authority areas, to share information and garner support, in line with the above recommendation. iii)           Request officers consider litter impacts in future policy adaptations.   Councillor Watson seconded the friendly amendment.   Councillor Dutton explained that by including in the amendment that the Code of Practice should be ‘reviewed’ and ‘proportionate’, based on the risk and size of the businesses, would ensure smaller businesses were able to comply with the code on a fairer scale compared to larger organisations.   Councillor Thomas advised that the original code of practice did state different recommendations for different sized outlets to ensure proportionality.   Councillor Watson stated that it was unusual for a district council to suggest national regulatory change however Stroud was ahead of the curve and was proud to support.   Councillor Dutton noted that work would be required by Defra on costs, benefits and impacts before any change to make the Code mandatory would be considered. In the meantime, volunteers were undertaking work to build evidence of the root causes of litter and to improve the ability to track it.   Councillor Thomas commented that a balance was needed to encourage cooperation whilst building positive relationships. The Code of Practice would enforce accountability.    Councillor Mathews queried what feedback had previously been received from MP’s. The Community Services Environment Manager agreed to inform Members of the response received from Stroud MP in 2023 outside of the Committee. Councillor Thomas explained that the current Stroud MP had encouraged her to gather evidence and support for them to present to government. She had also been invited by Tidy Britain APPG through MP Kim Leadbetter to give a presentation of the work she was undertaking.   The Chair, Councillor Pearcy, gave his thanks to Councillor Thomas and the Community Services Environment Manager for the report. He stated the report was a bold move for a District Council and that organisations were not adhering to the voluntary Code to dispose of their litter.   Cllr Mathews suggested reaching out to other Gloucestershire MP’s before the letter was sent to get their engagement and feedback.   On being put to the vote, the Motion was carried unanimously.    RESOLVED To: i)               Request the Leader of the Council write to the relevant ministers and all Gloucestershire based MPs, to endorse the work of the Gloucestershire Resources and Waste Partnership, seeking national support and advocating that the Voluntary Code of Practice for Food on the Go, be reviewed, with a view to making it mandatory, whilst ensuring any revised regulations are proportionate. ii)             Delegate authority to the Litter and Clean Environment Member Champion, to write to local authorities and other public sector organisations in Gloucestershire and other authority areas, to share information and garner support, in line with the above recommendation. iii)            Request officers consider litter impacts in future policy adaptations.    

Date of Decision: December 4, 2025