Public performance reports

Waste management

The Council Plan Connect outlines the council’s priorities and outcomes for 2022-27. Connect Outcomes should not be seen in isolation, they interact with each other, and as we achieve success in one, we move closer to success in others. In delivering our vision to ‘improve the lives and prospects of everyone in South Lanarkshire’, our priorities show how our work links with our partners, including our Community Planning Partners.

For daily updates, stories and what’s going on in your area, visit our information and news website South Lanarkshire View

Each year, we produce Annual Performance Spotlights that summarise how we have performed in achieving our Connect Outcomes. To complement these, we have created a suite of individual Public Performance Reports which focus on key areas of council business. This report outlines the performance in relation to our waste management service and how this links to our communities and environment outcome.

We are responsible for domestic refuse and recycling collection, including special uplifts. The team is also responsible for the provision of household waste and recycling centres and the treatment, recycling and disposal of waste. For more information on our recycling performance, see the sustainable development public performance report.

Number of missed refuse collections per 100,000 collections - Target – 75.7 missed refuse collections

What this means
This indicator measures the number of missed refuse collections per 100,000 household collections within the year.

Why this matters
Waste collection is one of the main environmental services provided by councils. Assessing the number of bins successfully collected over the year is a simple way of assessing the effectiveness of the service.

Our performance and how we compare

Comparator	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	Are we improving?
SLC	96.1	75.7	74.4	Yes
Scotland	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

How we have performed in improving this public service
The figure for missed refuse collections per 100,000 household collections was 74.4 for the financial year 2023-24, meaning that over 99.9% of bins were successfully collected during this period. This figure exceeds the target and is an improvement on the previous year’s performance.

Percentage of special uplifts completed on the day allocated - Target - 95%

What this means
This measures the percentage of special uplifts completed on the day allocated. The council uplifts bulky items that will not go in household bins. Households are entitled to one free special uplift per year - subsequent uplifts must be paid for.

Why this matters
The level of service provided through the council’s special uplift service compares favourably with other councils. It is a service valued by the community and delivering it as quickly as possible reduces fly-tipping and ensures a clean, attractive environment.

Our performance and how we compare

Comparator	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	Are we improving?
SLC	95%	95.2%	97.8%	Yes
Scotland	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

How we have performed in improving this public service
In 2023-24, 97.8% of special uplifts were completed on the day allocated. This is an improvement on the previous year and exceeds the target of 95%.

How much household waste is recycled by my council? - Target >50%

What this means
This indicator shows the amount of household waste that is recycled and composted during the year. Household waste includes household bin collections, other household collections such as bulky uplifts, and waste deposited by people at household waste recycling centres and recycling points/bring banks.

Why this matters
We are working towards meeting the national household recycling target of 60%, with a local target currently set at 50%.

Our performance and how we compare

Comparator	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	Are we improving?
SLC	40.4%	41.1%	41%	No
Scotland	42.7%	43.35%	43.5%	No

How we have performed in improving this public service
The household recycling rate is reported on a calendar year basis. The figures provided have been verified and reported by SEPA and may differ from internally reported figures. The figure for January to December 2023 was 41%. This is a very slight reduction in performance when compared to 2022. The amount of household waste recycled continues to remain below the target of 50%, and can be attributed to the fact that over 20% of households in South Lanarkshire reside in flatted properties with limited space for recycling services.

The service engages with customers using a wide range of methods, including ‘in-person’ visits and social media releases. Our Waste Education Team visit schools to raise awareness of the importance of recycling at home and in schools. The team also give presentations to community groups and forums.

We will take forward the following key areas for improvement:

We will continue to work to improve the quality and quantity of the recyclable waste we collect from homes and flatted properties.

Resource Plans are prepared each year by all council Resources to outline the key developments they intend to take forward in the year. Performance and actions relating to the waste management service can be found in the Community and Enterprise Resource Plan.

Twice a year, performance reports are presented to council committees on progress against the Resource Plans. In addition, reports detailing progress against the Council Plan Connect Outcomes are prepared. See Quarter 2 (September) and Quarter 4 (March - year end) performance reports for further information.

More information on our outcomes can be found in the Council Plan Connect and the Annual Performance Spotlights.

Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) allows councils to work together, to use performance information in a way that will help understand variations, share knowledge, expertise and good practice, with a view to making improvements. For more information and links relating to this framework go to the 'Benchmarking' paragraph on the Improvement and how we compare page on our website.

The information contained within this report reflects the position based on the data available at the time of publication (March 2025).