Report to:	Place Scrutiny Committee
Date of meeting:	13 March 2025
By:	Deputy Chief Executive
Title:	Call-in: decision made by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment regarding the Proposed Implementation of a Booking System at Household Waste Recycling Sites
Purpose:	To allow the Committee to consider the call-in in relation to the decision by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment regarding the Proposed Implementation of a Booking System at Household Waste Recycling Sites.

RECOMMENDATION: The Place Scrutiny Committee is recommended to consider the call-in in relation to the decision taken by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment on 24 February 2025 regarding the Proposed Implementation of a Booking System at Household Waste Recycling Sites and decide what action, if any, to take.

1          Background

1.1       The decision made by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment on 24 February 2025 in relation to the Proposed Implementation of a Booking System at Household Waste Recycling Sites (HWRS), was called in by three Members of the Place Scrutiny Committee - Councillors Julia Hilton, Stephen Shing and Brett Wright - on 28 February 2025. A copy of the call-in request, specifying the grounds of concern requiring consideration by scrutiny, is at Appendix 1.

1.2       The Monitoring Officer and Scrutiny Manager reviewed the call-in request and considered that it was in accordance with the requirements of the call-in process set out in the East Sussex County Council Constitution.

2          Supporting information

2.1       The report regarding proposed implementation of a booking system at Household Waste Recycling Sites, considered by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment on 24 February 2025, is attached at Appendix 2.

2.2       The draft minute outlining the Lead Member’s decision is contained in Appendix 3.

2.3 In summary, the call-in request was based on the following areas of concern in relation to the decision:

• access to booking arrangements for those residents unable to use the online system, and for those without access to a private vehicle, and the Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) in relation to the booking system;
• the adequacy of the business case for savings, including whether the cost of providing a telephone booking service has been fully reflected;
• the potential impact of the booking system on waste collection authorities (district and borough councils) and whether this has been sufficiently considered in the context of potential local government reorganisation.
• Potential increases in fly-tipping, including reference to national data and experience in neighbouring authorities already operating booking systems.

2.4       The request concludes that further investigation into the EqIA, future-partner impacts and follow-on costs of an online booking system is needed through the call-in process before a final decision is taken. A meeting of the scrutiny committee has therefore been convened to consider the issues raised in the call-in.

2.5       The Director of Communities, Economy and Transport (CET) has provided information to the committee in relation to the points raised in the call-in request (Appendix 4).

2.6       The role of the Place Scrutiny Committee is to consider the call-in in relation to the decision taken by the Lead Member, and the additional information provided in response to the concerns raised, and decide whether to:

• take no further action – in which case the original decision will take effect; or
• refer the decision back to the Lead Member for Transport and Environment setting out in writing the nature of its concerns. On receipt of a response from scrutiny, the Lead Member may then decide to proceed with the original decision or make an amended decision; or
• refer the matter to Full Council setting out in writing the reasons for the referral. On receipt of a referral, Council may decide to take no further action, in which case the original decision will take effect, or to refer the matter back to the Lead Member, setting out its views. The Lead Member may then decide to proceed with the original decision or make an amended decision.

3.         Conclusion and reasons for recommendations

3.1       The scrutiny committee cannot change the decision which, as an executive decision, rests with the Lead Member. The committee’s role is to consider the points raised in the call-in request and decide what action, if any, it wishes to take.

PHILIP BAKER
Deputy Chief Executive

Martin Jenks, Senior Scrutiny Adviser
Tel. No. 01273 481327
Email: martin.jenks@eastsussex.gov.uk

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