Rationalisation and Development of Waste and Fleet Service Assets - Programme of Work 2.1
North Lanarkshire Council · 9 November 2022
Back to Environment and Climate Change Committee — 9 November 2022 and its agenda
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment and Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref AM Date 09/11/22 Rationalisation and Development of Waste and Fleet Service Assets – Programme of Work 2.1 From Head of Regulatory Services and Waste Solutions E-mail mcphersona@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07939 280467 Executive Summary The report builds on previous reports and provides an update on the proposals within the Waste and Fleet Service to maximise the use of the Council’s assets in line with the Councils Programme of Work Number 2.1. The report also provides a summary of the proposals to move towards an electric/ low emission fleet for the Council. Recommendations It is recommended that Committee: 1. Support the ongoing proposals for the Bellshill Waste and Fleet Complex. 2. Support the work associated with the introduction of an Eco Park within the Bellshill complex. 3. Endorse the actions now being taken across the Dalmacoulter, Auchinlea and Wardpark facilities. 4. Support the progress and actions proposed to allow the decarbonisation of the Council fleet. 5. Support the move of the Trade Waste service to a fully digital registration process. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve North Lanarkshire's resource base Ambition statement (3) Maximise the use of our marketable land and assets through improved development in business and industrial infrastructure
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1. Background 1.1 Previous reports to Committee have outlined the ongoing rationalisation exercise to be undertaken across the Waste service to allow consolidation of the service within key depot facilities. This in turn will result in overall efficiencies for the Waste service with the resulting effect of freeing up space for other service areas to consolidate their own depot facilities and ultimately therefore provide a capital receipt for the Council through the sale of any depot deemed surplus to requirements. 1.2 The development of the depots will also include future proofing the facilities to ensure they are able to accommodate the current and future plans of the Council to move towards an electric/ low emission fleet in line with Government guidance and to assist in delivery of the Council’s ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2030. 2. Report 2.1 Bellshill Waste and Fleet Complex 2.1.1 In line with the previous reports, although the original intention was to locate all Waste and Fleet personnel to the Bellshill complex until such times as a new facility could be built, structural faults within the building being utilised required an immediate evacuation of the facility at the turn of last year. The Service has now introduced an interim arrangement which will see all servicing work on fleet vehicles undertaken at the previously vacated Souterhouse depot, taxi MOT testing undertaken within the ‘7 Day Centre’ and the Waste service temporarily located to the Souterhouse depot. To accommodate this move, the Land Services team previously based at Souterhouse were temporarily based at Bellshill within a section of the facility that it is not subject to any structural concerns. 2.1.2 Running in parallel with the above temporary arrangements, a procurement exercise was completed for the delivery of the new Waste and Fleet depot at Bellshill. Tilbury Douglas Construction Limited have now been appointed as the preferred bidder and works have now commenced on site with an anticipated completion date of September 2023. 2.1.3 Following completion of the above works, and the centralisation of the Waste and Fleet service at Bellshill, this will allow Land Services to be centralised within the Souterhouse depot allowing further rationalisation of their own depot facilities. To assist in this process, the Council’s recycling centres will now also be changed to both accommodate the disposal of waste arising from the work of Land Services and the provision of improved welfare facilities within the centres. Providing this more locally based operating model will allow employees from Land Services to operate close to their area of operation and reduce the number of vehicle movements by providing local disposal outlets. This in turn will not only deliver operational efficiencies but a reduction in carbon emissions. 2.1.4 The build of the new depot facility will also be managed alongside the demolition of the existing buildings on site and a procurement exercise will commence for this works once we have a defined timeline for the other build programmes on site to ensure all works can proceed without impacting on any other. To facilitate the demolition works arrangements have been made to temporarily relocate the Land Services team previously based at Bellshill to the Souterhouse depot.
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2.2 Bellshill Eco Park 2.2.1 Although as discussed later in this report, the move towards the decarbonisation of the LGV fleet is in line with expectation and there is a plan in place for the HGV fleet, the key challenge for the Council is accelerating the overall decarbonisation. The limiting factors at present are funding, technology and fuel availability: • Funding - local authorities are now faced with a significant savings agenda over the coming years. The cost difference between an electric/hydrogen HGV vehicle when compared to its more traditional and proven diesel alternative is significant with some vehicles being over 300% more expensive. • Technology – although electric LGV vehicles are now commonplace and increasing in both range and availability, this is not replicated within the HGV sector. There needs to be an increasing demand for low emission vehicles which will drive the technology and which in turn will reduce the purchase price. • Fuel availability – there is a lack of low emission infrastructure available throughout the country which would encourage both public bodies and the private sector to move towards alternative low emission vehicles, particularly within the HGV sector. Public bodies do not have the resource or skillset to deliver this independently and so we are left with a chicken and egg situation – nobody will build significant infrastructure/ vehicles unless there is a dedicated market and there will be no market until there is the appropriate infrastructure. It is critical therefore that the public sector acts as the catalyst to kick start this process. 2.2.2 To address this very challenge, North Lanarkshire Council has now entered discussions with Scottish Power Energy Retails Limited (SPERL) to consider the possibility of delivering the largest EcoPark facility in the United Kingdom within the Council’s Bellshill complex. The intention of this EcoPark is to deliver over 40 electrical charging points and a permanent hydrogen fuelling station. This will also be augmented by the electrification of the adjacent new waste and fleet depot providing further electrical charging infrastructure. 2.2.3 Location of this facility at Bellshill will allow easy access from all the main arterial routes across Scotland – M8, M74 and A80. Discussions have already commenced with the blue light services within Lanarkshire to make them aware of the project and further talks will now commence with other public bodies, partners and neighbouring local authorities. In addition, and as detailed above, the facility will be opened to the private sector to encourage the switch from fossil to clean energy solutions as the net zero commitment from the Council applies across all business sectors within its area. The public sector cannot be seen to work in isolation with such projects and all public bodies should be assisting business to adapt and succeed in a sustainable way. 2.2.4 The EcoPark facility will also be supplemented by a smaller Green Hydrogen fuelling facility within the Council’s other main depot facility at Wardpark, Cumbernauld and again will allow the switch from diesel to Hydrogen for the HGV fleet based at this location. 2.2.5 Although discussions are still at an outline planning stage, it is the intention for this site to go live in spring/summer of 2024 and further updates on this project will be provided to Committee at future committee cycles.
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2.3 Dalmacoulter Landfill Facility 2.3.1 At present, the Council must negotiate contracts for the disposal and processing of its recyclable and bulky items on a regular basis. From previous tender processes, we are aware that many companies do not apply for these contracts or are ruled out from award of any tender due to them being uncompetitive as they are not based locally within North Lanarkshire, and the resulting transport costs for the material exclude them from any contract award on a cost basis. By providing a waste facility within the heart of the Council area we then remove this barrier for companies to apply for contracts as they would have a central base from which to collect the material. This in turn opens up the full potential of the marketplace to the Council for any future contracts which in turn will drive down the costs of our waste service to the benefit of the Council Tax payer. 2.3.2 In light of the above, and as previously reported, the Waste service applied for and was granted full planning permission for a material recovery facility (MRF) for the hardstanding area at former Dalmacoulter landfill site. It should be noted that this does not involve the treatment of any waste – simply the sorting and bulking of waste which is then sent for treatment at another plant. 2.3.3 The existing Dalmacoulter site brings in no income to the Council and the original intention was that the Council would enter into a long-term lease with a private contractor who would design, build and finance a material recovery facility (MRF) on the site. 2.3.4 Over the period of the planning application, several discussions have taken place with colleagues within the Council’s procurement team and a market engagement exercise undertaken. Although there does appear to be some appetite for such an arrangement from the external market, the complexities involved in the original proposal of granting a long-term lease for the site on a design, build and finance agreement would be such that would question the value of any such long-term contract. 2.3.5 In light of the above, a business case is now commencing to determine what the best option for the site would be. This will effectively consider three options: • Design, build, finance and operate by a private contractor; • Design, build, finance and operate by the Council; and • Market the land with the accompanying planning permission and deliver a capital receipt for the Council. The intention is to complete this business case by May of 2023 and an outcome from this reported to Committee. The potentially worst outcome would be to market the land which may then be purchased by a company already operating in the area to prevent any competition. If this risk was to be realised, then the Council would be in no worse a position but have sold off a previous liability for the Council for a capital receipt. 2.4 Wardpark Facility 2.4.1 The initial proposal was to locate the entire Waste and Fleet service at the Bellshill complex. However, after reviewing the two services, it was agreed that basing several refuse collection vehicles and ASN school buses within the Northern half of the council area would deliver a more efficient operation. This has now been delivered with the appropriate supporting welfare facilities etc. located within the Wardpark facility.
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2.4.2 With the longer-term future of this facility now secured, planning consent has now been achieved to operate the facility as a waste transfer station. This will allow the bulking of waste collected within the North area of the authority and reduce the number of vehicle movements to disposal outlets which may be remote from the point of collection. Similar to the arrangements being introduced across the recycling centres for Land Services this will introduce both operational and carbon savings for the service. 2.4.3 Work will now commence in line with the business case for the Dalmacoulter facility to determine how best to proceed with the development. Again, the timeline for the outcome of this will be in line with the business case for the Dalmacoulter site – May 2023 and the outcome from this will determine what additional waste management licencing will be required. 2.5 Solar Farms at Auchinlea and Dalmacoulter Landfill Sites 2.5.1 The Council is now engaging the services of a private consultant to determine the viability of the footprint of the closed landfill areas at Dalmacoulter and Auchinlea as potential solar farms. There are already existing grid connections at the sites so the costs associated with the establishment of any solar farm will be significantly reduced as it is the grid connection which very often determines the viability of such projects. Similar to above, the outcome from this assessment will be provided to Committee in the update report for this programme of work in May 2023. 2.6 Decarbonisation of Council Fleet 2.6.1 The depot rationalisation and new workshop detailed above will also enable adaptations to be made to meet our future requirements as we accelerate our move to decarbonise our fleet. Integral to this will be the introduction of appropriate infrastructure across all depot and office facilities to ensure sufficient power and charging points are available. 2.6.2 To date we have upgraded the power capacity at both the Bellshill and Wardpark depots and increased the number of charging points within most depot and office locations and the table below outlines the charging capacity that will be available by the end of this financial year (mix of rapid charging and standard charging). The numbers of charging points will continue to increase over the coming years to reflect the growing number of electric vehicles. Depot Location Number of Charging Points Bellshill 69* Ladyanne Depot, Airdrie 8 Netherton Recycling Centre, Wishaw 2 Reema Road Recycling Centre, Bellshill 4 Shotts Recycling Centre, Shotts 2 Stobcross Recycling Centre, Coatbridge 2 Wardpark Depot, Cumbernauld 18 Souterhouse Depot, Coatbridge 10 Civic Centre, Motherwell 15** Dalziel Building, Motherwell 4 Fleming House, Cumbernauld 4 Kildonan Street, Coatbridge 1
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Albert Street, Motherwell 2 Canyon Road Depot, Wishaw 2 Strathclyde Country Park 12 Getting Better Together, Shotts 2 Total 157 *Will reduce to allow appropriate works within the Bellshill complex. **Includes 13 charging points which will be fitted over the coming 3 months. It should be noted that the above charging facilities are for the exclusive use of Council vehicles and the charging infrastructure in place for public use and access is being coordinated through colleagues within the Council’s Roads service. 2.6.3 The Council now has a vehicle replacement programme in place for all light commercial vehicles which will see us move in a graduated approach to an entire electric/ low emission fleet by 2027/28. The graph below provides an indication as to the way in which this will be achieved: 2.6.4 The move towards replacement of the heavy goods vehicles (HGV) in the Council fleet will be somewhat slower. The detail provided previously in this report outlines the reasons for this and the graph below shows the expected position of the HGV fleet provided that the Eco Hub facility is delivered as outlined above:
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Trade Waste 2.7 In line with the digital transformation of the service, the Service will now move to a complete online service for Trade Waste. This will allow all customers to register and print off their duty of care waste certificates electronically reducing the administration of the process to both the customer and Service. Although all existing customers have been contacted, only 100 have moved to the online system voluntarily. To ensure we deliver on this digital enhancement the Service will now contact all customers to advise that they have until 31st March 2023 to register online and if this is not completed then the Service will discontinue with the uplift service. We will provide regular reminders up until this date and provide assistance to any business requiring it. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The delivery of more efficient front-line services within North Lanarkshire and reduced financial and environmental costs associated with the delivery of these services. Andrew McPherson Head of Regulatory Services and Waste Solutions
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5. Impacts ( http://connect/report-template-guidance ) 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality-and-fairer- scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts have been discussed and agreed with Financial Solutions? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts have been discussed and agreed with People and Organisational Development? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts have been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic Solutions? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi?
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Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for technology, has an assessment been carried out (or scheduled) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? As detailed in the report, the initiatives being taken forward will contribute towards the Council’s ambition of net zero by 2030. 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed?