Purpose and Priorities
Purpose
Neighbourhood Services provides a comprehensive range of services which touches all of the people across East Dunbartonshire. The organisational design model harnesses the diverse range of skills and knowledge of the individuals and teams to maximise collaborative gain and deliver for all of our customers across the communities through our frontline teams. Our agenda requires effective partnership working with our Community Planning Partners as well as a wide range of other partners from the voluntary sector and external agencies as we contribute to all of the outcomes within the Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP). While the focus for Neighbourhood Services in the LOIP is less explicit than for some other services, our primary strategic direction and focus is on contributing to six long term guiding principles and priorities, and in support of the local outcomes.
Strategic Priorities
- The work of Neighbourhood services focuses on delivering on the Council’s key priorities in this area. This work is informed and undertaken in compliance with current and emerging legislation, for both the Waste and Fleet services. Through benchmarking with other authorities and key partners such as Audit Scotland and through consultation and engagement with residents, and service users, we can ensure the range of services provided and deployment of resources aligns and delivers upon local priorities. The work of the teams focuses on the LOIP guiding principles and outcomes, incorporating customer centred, efficient and effective integrated services, whilst also delivering fit for purpose and best value outcomes for the authority.
- Effective financial planning and management with targeted financial performance improvements, delivery of all revenue savings targets and all Neighbourhood capital investments within timescales identified through the Asset Management Plans and Capital programme.
- A key strategic priority for the coming year will be continuing to deliver and support all services, as the council recovers from the economic challenges, whilst also managing ongoing service pressures.
- In partnership with the Councils procurement and legal services, the service requires to continue the development of robust contract monitoring arrangements to ensure value for money service from all contracted work.
- Continue the development and work with Clyde Valley Waste partners and others, working with neighbouring Local Authorities and move towards adopting and promoting zero waste principles whilst providing a quality waste collection service to our residents in advance of the Scottish Government Landfill ban in 2025.
- The service also continues to meet the objectives of Zero Waste Scotland by reducing waste to landfill and maximising the opportunities for quality recycling, understanding the impact of the Deposit Return scheme our frontline service, due for implementation in August 2023.
- Increase where possible the Council’s use of renewable energy sources to reduce our Fossil Fuel and energy consumption through the decarbonisation of Council assets.
- Continue work with Scottish Government & suppliers, in order to seek investment, and investigate opportunities for the introduction of new technology across the Councils vehicle and plant fleet. In pursuit of a reduction in the impact on the Councils Carbon footprint.
Work of the Teams
Fleet Services
The Fleet Management Team is an enabling service underpinning the delivery of a range of front-line Council services including education, property maintenance, roads, waste and social work. The team is responsible for developing and implementing Council policy, and regulatory compliance for all aspects of operational fleet deployed in the provision of front-line services and to provide and manage the Council’s fleet of plant & vehicles. The Fleet Service also has responsibility for the operation of the Council’s hire desk function across all service areas.
Fleet Management has responsibility for the deployment and management of a fleet of pool cars for business travel with vehicles placed at strategic locations across the Authority. The fleet service delivers transport functions for both Social services and Education transport functions for children and vulnerable adults with additional support needs.
The focus of the team for the coming year will be the continuing support to other key services in delivering strategic and emerging priorities. This work will include the ongoing fleet replacement programmes and in working in partnership with other teams, the development of a Strategic Plan to decarbonise the Council’s vehicle fleet & Infrastructure to support these activities.
Waste Services
Waste Services is a high-profile front-line service that has responsibility for the collection, treatment and disposal of all waste generated by the residents of East Dunbartonshire. The service operational responsibilities include waste, recycling, garden waste and food collections from the kerbside. We operate a trade waste service for both waste and recycling and have provision for bulky collections and management of our household waste and recycling centre at Mavis Valley.
The service oversees the contract objectives of the household waste Transfer Station, which was designed and built as part of the twenty-five-year Clyde Valley Residual Waste Contract. This contract has been in operation for two years and facilitates the Council meeting the Scottish Government Zero Waste Plan and Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 in respect of the ban on biodegradable municipal waste to landfill by 2025.
Waste Services have primary responsible for the on-going development of strategies to raise waste awareness within the local community and businesses, minimise the tonnage of municipal waste produced and to maximise recycling participation. The work is enabled through delivery of a wide range of campaigns and educational initiatives with the schools, businesses and the wider community. The focus for the year ahead will be on improving participation in our food waste service, increasing our acceptable recycling materials and monitoring waste behaviours post-pandemic in order to maximise recycling performance.
Key Improvement Actions for 2023-2024
- Review Fleet Capital Replacement Programme
- Review and Update Fleet Asset Management Plan to consider Fleet Decarbonisation Strategy
- Review Neighbourhood Services Waste & Recycling Operations
- Investigate Feasibility for Increased Electric Vehicle Adoption including Charging Hubs at Key Locations