Issue - meetings

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public including:

1.         Baldock Beats Waste;

2.         Climate Action Group;

3.         Plastic Free Letchworth/Plastic Free Hitchin;

4.         Best Before Café/Hitchin Food Rescue;

5.         Herts Without Waste;

6.         North Herts and Stevenage Climate Action Group.

Please note that two written submissions have been made and are included in the agenda:

John Webb, Herts Without Waste

Gilly Chegwyn, Climate Action Group

Ms Christine Watson, Baldock Beats Waste, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Panel.

The Chairman thanked Ms Watson for her presentation.

Audio recording – 7 minutes 14 seconds

Ms Christine Watson, Baldock Beats Waste, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Panel as follows:

·                Baldock Beats Waste was a local group started due to the concern about misleading information regarding recycling, particularly single use plastic;

·                Intention was to encourage people in Baldock to look differently at waste, particularly packaging and single use plastic;

·                They advised on what could be recycled and when and where this could be done as well as alternative packaging;

·                At meetings they demonstrated a selection of products and discussed where they could be bought;

·                They had a Facebook page on which 100-500 people read posts regularly;

·                They had held 3 meetings with 25-30 people attending;

·                They had a stall at the Baldock Festival;

·                They set up a collection of crisp packets at the local Community Centre;

·                They had discovered some good practices by businesses and individuals in the Town;

·                They had held 3 litter picking events

·                They had visited local businesses to discuss waste management and have even successful in changing the habits of some including:

·                      Sought to change packaging at Baldock weekly market;

·                      Archers Gym had been persuaded to stop using plastic bags;

·                      Hollington Health had cancelled their order of bottled water and had started using compostable cups.

The following Members asked questions and commented on the presentation:

·                Councillor Michael Muir;

·                Councillor Kay Tart;

·                Councillor Steve Jarvis;

·                Councillor Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg.

 In response to questions Ms Watson advised that:

·                There were no plans for Baldock Beats Waste to become Plastic Free Baldock;

·                However, should they meet the requirements for plastic free status, this would be a subsidiary of Baldock Beats Waste.

The Community Engagement Team Leader advised that a good way to share information was through Engage North Herts.

The Chairman thanked Ms Watson for her presentation.