Decision details

To agree the Council’s Single Use Plastic Policy and Communications plan.

A notice of motion was considered by Council on 23 February 2018 in relation to the Council’s use of single use plastic (SUP).  Council agreed to review Fareham Borough Council’s use of SUP and develop a strategy to phase out their use within the Council’s offices and buildings as quickly as it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An officer working group was formed and subsequently completed an audit of the main Council buildings.  The Council has an extensive range of buildings in its ownership, but in respect of the policy, the scope was confined to buildings where the majority of the Council’s workforce is located and the high profile public buildings.

The information gathered in the audit has been used to prepare a series of policy statements which are set out in this report.  These policy statements have been developed with the aim of phasing out SUP in Council buildings by 2020.

The proposed name for the policy is ‘Give Plastic the Push’.  A communications plan has been developed to help educate residents, businesses, Council staff and elected members about ways to help reduce the use of SUP.  The implementation of the plan will be supported by a SUP Coordinator who will attend community events, visit businesses and schools to promote the policy and advise on ways to reduce SUP use.

There will be a range of ‘Give Plastic the Push’ promotional material including signs on the side of the Council’s refuse and recycling vehicles, a promotional banner for events and branded reusable coffee mugs and reusable drinking water bottles.  Posters and leaflets will be available for distribution at key strategic sites around the Borough and the key messages for residents will be included in the bin collection Christmas calendar.

The policy statements and communications plan have been presented to the Streetscene Policy Development and Review Panel and were fully supported by the Members of the Panel.

RESOLVED that the Executive approves:

(a)  the Council’s single use plastic policy ‘the Push’ as set out in paragraph 20 of the report; and

(b)  the Communications Plan to promote the policy.