Agenda item

Councillor Duckworth proposed and Councillor Albon seconded the following motion:

“Thanet District Council supports the campaign for Thanet to become a Plastic Free Community, reducing the flow of single-use plastic onto our streets and beaches.

Thanet District Council agrees to:

1.  Put a Member on the local Plastic Free Thanet Steering Group;

2.  Support Plastic Free Communities initiatives in its area;

3.  Review the progress already made in the removal of single-use plastic items from its premises and operations, and use the information gathered to create a realistic timeline for completion of the process.”

Councillor Duckworth gave a brief background to the motion and made the following points:

·  Plastic Free Thanet was a new campaign that was launched on 31 July 2022;

·  The campaign aimed at reducing the amount of single use plastic that would normally end up at Thanet beaches and streets;

·  The campaign was part of the Surface Against Sewage Plastic Free Movement and was using their five step plan that was adapted for the local context;

·  This plan included the following:

§  Engaging Thanet District Council (TDC) to pass a resolution to support for plastic free community status for the district;

§  Recruit Business Champions to work with businesses to remove three items as single use free plastic from their businesses to achieve plastic free champion status;

§  Work with community allies link with litter groups, local charities, arts institutions and schools to educate the community about being plastic free in fun creative ways;

§  Partner community events to run events with a focus on reducing plastic waste;

§  Form a steering group with representatives from the council, local businesses, the creative & cultural sector, local media, South Eastern Railway and Southern Water to meet twice yearly to drive the campaign forward.

Councillor Duckworth presented the following motion in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 3:

“Thanet District Council supports the campaign for Thanet to become a Plastic Free Community, reducing the flow of single-use plastic onto our streets and beaches.

Thanet District Council agrees to:

1.  Put a Member on the local Plastic Free Thanet Steering Group;

2.  Support Plastic Free Communities initiatives in its area;

3.  Review the progress already made in the removal of single-use plastic items from its premises and operations, and use the information gathered to create a realistic timeline for completion of the process.”

Councillor Duckworth proposed and Councillor Albon that the motion be forwarded to Cabinet.

Councillor Albon proposed, Councillor Bob Bayford seconded and Members agreed to debate the motion.

Councillor Bob Bayford responded to the motion as follows:

·  Thanet District Council supported the reduction of plastic use in society especially single use plastic;

·  Council understood the impact single use had on the environment and especially the local beaches;

·  Over the past year TDC had run a successful Sustainability Steering Group and a large number of community groups had attended its meetings;

·  Officers had worked with these groups to complete projects such as installing new bins to recycle plastic bottles along the coast;

·  The Council would like to continue supporting these initiatives within its resources and financial means;

·   Plastic cups had been removed from the Council’s meeting rooms and had continued to encourage staff to reduce personal use of single use plastics;

·  The council was also considering communicating with its suppliers regarding requesting the reduction of use of these plastics in the Council’s purchases;

·  TDC would continue to consider plastic alternatives wherever possible;

·  Cabinet would support putting a Member on the local Plastic Free Thanet Steering Group.

During debate Members made the following comments:

·  There is a need to know how much it was going to cost the Council by adopting the motion. A financial element to the motion would have helped Members make an informed decision;

·  It would be difficult for an individual councillor to come up with a costing for a motion on such a wide ranging topic;

·  Members recognised what the Council had already done and this included putting up planning notices with strips rather than cable ties on streets. This was also cost saving;

·  Broadstairs Town Council had introduced a similar motion. Ramsgate Town Council were also looking to removing single use plastics within a timeframe and scope of the council’s resources;

·  Adoption of this motion would help send a strong signal to the local businesses, schools and residents. It was hoped that this would help shape the behaviour of our local communities in less use of single use plastics;

·  Disposable vapes were producing a concerning amount of trash and it was hoped that when this new steering group was set up it would find ways for addressing the clean disposal of vapes;

·  This motion was to a large degree and with reference to the Council’s operations an extension of the climate emergency motion that was adopted by TDC. This was therefore a sensible motion;

·  The council should continue to push the message to stop the use of single use plastics;

·  The Council could host an award for Pride In Thanet for a Plastic Free;

·  The issues raised in the motion would also be raised at the newly established Youth Council and see what influence young people could have in this discussion.

Thereafter Members agreed that as the motion was regarding an executive function it be forwarded to cabinet in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 3.7 of Part 4 (Rules of Procedure) of the Council Constitution.