West Berkshire Council: Apply for a Larger Rubbish Bin
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-28)

The tool is used to automate the process of assessing whether applicants for a larger non-recyclable household waste container meet the minimum threshold as set out in the council’s policy. Applications that meet the minimum requirement are sent to Waste Management for review.

Tier 1 Information

###Name

Apply for a Larger Rubbish Bin

Description

The tool is used to assess whether applicants for a larger non-recyclable household waste container meet the minimum threshold as set out in the council’s policy.

It automates this assessment, rejecting and informing those applicants who don’t meet the minimum threshold , removing the administrative requirement to do this.

Applications that meet the minimum requirement are sent to Waste Management for review.

Website URL

https://www.westberks.gov.uk/extrarubbish

Contact email

xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Tier 2 - Owner and Responsibility

###1.1 - Organisation or department

West Berkshire Council

1.2 - Team

Digital Services

1.3 - Senior responsible owner

Digital Services Manager

1.4 - External supplier involvement

No

1.4.1 - External supplier

N/A

1.4.2 - Companies House Number

N/A

1.4.3 - External supplier role

Goss Interactive supply the digital platform on which the tool was created. The tool itself, however, was created in-house entirely by West Berkshire Council.

1.4.4 - Procurement procedure type

There was no procurement process specifically for the tool itself as it was created in-house.

Tier 2 - Description and Rationale

###2.1 - Detailed description

The council offers larger black bins for non-recyclable refuse to those that meet at least the minimum criteria. These criteria are defined in policy by our Waste Management team.

Applications for larger black bins can be made through a form on the council’s website as part of a digital service.

Once the application has been made, the tool uses an algorithm to determine whether an applicant may be eligible for a larger black refuse bin. The algorithm is based on the policy, so it is in effect just enacting that policy as a person would.

The applications of those who do meet at least the minimum criteria are then reviewed by the Waste Management team. Those which do not are informed automatically and their application rejected.

2.2 - Scope

The tool is designed specifically for the purpose of automating the assessment of online applications against the council policy for larger black bins.

2.3 - Benefit

The tool reduces the amount of manual processing for each application for a larger black bin, in many cases reducing that manual processing time down to simply recording the outcome and its result on a database for future reference.

It also provides a faster assessment for the applicant, as in the applications where the need for human interaction has been removed, the automated decision and response can be sent more quickly.

2.4 - Previous process

The previous process was for a council officer to assess each application against the policy, essentially doing the same thing the tool is doing now but manually.

2.5 - Alternatives considered

The alternative was to continue with the manual process against the same criteria.

Tier 2 - Decision making Process

###3.1 - Process integration

The council offers larger black bins for non-recyclable refuse to those that meet at least the minimum criteria. These criteria are defined in policy by the council’s Waste Management team.

Applications for larger black bins can be made through a form on the council’s website as part of a digital service.

Once the application has been made, the tool uses an algorithm to determine whether an applicant may be eligible for a larger black refuse bin. The algorithm is based on a policy, so it is in effect just enacting that policy in the same way a manual process would.

The applications of those who do meet at least the minimum criteria are then reviewed by the Waste Management team. If approved the digital service automatically raises a request with the council’s waste contractor, if not the request if closed. The applicant is automatically informed by email of this outcome.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum criteria are informed automatically and their application is closed.

3.2 - Provided information

The decision is automated, so in effect the tool is the decision maker based on policy. However, it does allow for the Waste Management team to scrutinise every decision made by it as all applications and outcomes are subsequently recorded on a database.

3.3 - Frequency and scale of usage

An average of 42 decisions are made per month using the algorithmic tool.

3.4 - Human decisions and review

The tool provides an overview of all applications it has processed, which allows a human to review each decision and the data entered as part of the application which it used to make that decision.

3.5 - Required training

The digital service is intuitive enough so that minimal training is required.

3.6 - Appeals and review

Applicants can appeal the decision by contacting the Waste Management team. As the decision is made according to the policy, and therefore a human would have made the same decision, it is unlikely that the decision would be changed. We also still receive hard copy applications and as with the automated process, this would lead to us sending an outcome email to the applicant. Applicants wishing to appeal the decision can simply respond to the email they receive in the first instance. Outcome emails are sent from xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) If the appeal is not upheld by the Waste Management team, further information is also provided to the applicant about the Council’s complaint process.

Tier 2 - Tool Specification

###4.1.1 - System architecture

The algorithm is written in server side JavaScript, utilises Node.JS, and runs as part of a process model deployed in Goss Interactive’s digital platform.

4.1.2 - Phase

Production

4.1.3 - Maintenance

The tool is reviewed and updated as and when the policy it implements changes. Other than that no maintenance of the tool is required over and above that related to the platform is deployed as part of.

4.1.4 - Models

A mathematical model.

Tier 2 - Model Specification

###4.2.1 - Model name

Assessment of applications for a larger container for non-recyclable household waste.

4.2.2 - Model version

Version 1

4.2.3 - Model task

The model makes an automated decision on eligibility based on the following data: - The size of their current refuse bin - The number of people permanently living at the household - The number of children in disposable nappies living at the household - Whether non-recyclable medical waste is produced by the household

No weighting is applied, the algorithm assesses for whether the minimum criteria has been met.

4.2.4 - Model input

Applicant data collected by the online form as part of the application process for a larger black bin.

4.2.5 - Model output

The tool informs applicants that their application is being processed. They then receive an email that confirm the decision: ‘rejected’ or ‘approved’.

4.2.6 - Model architecture

Rules based system

4.2.7 - Model performance

The model was evaluated for the accuracy of its output in a testing environment.

The tool was fully tested before deployment to ensure the decisions made by it were the same as would be made by a human against the same policy.

4.2.8 - Datasets

N/A

4.2.9 - Dataset purposes

N/A

Tier 2 - Data Specification

###4.3.1 - Source data name

Application for a Larger Rubbish Bin

4.3.2 - Data modality

Multimodal

4.3.3 - Data description

Information captured in the dataset that is needed to make an automated decision is: - The size of the household’s current refuse bin - The number of people permanently living at the household - The number of children in disposable nappies living at the household - Whether non-recyclable medical waste is produced by the household

4.3.4 - Data quantities

N/A - Data inputs shown above

4.3.5 - Sensitive attributes

Data used to make the decision relates to the household rather than a specific individual.

We consider the following data used to be personal:
- The number of children in disposable nappies living at the household
- Whether non-recyclable medical waste is produced by the household
4.3.6 - Data completeness and representativeness

N/A

4.3.7 - Source data URL

N/A

4.3.8 - Data collection

Data is collected by an online form as part of the application process for a larger black bin.

4.3.9 - Data cleaning

N/A

4.3.10 - Data sharing agreements

N/A

4.3.11 - Data access and storage

The data is stored securely on the council’s digital platform, and is deleted as part of a retention schedule in-line with that of the council.

Tier 2 - Risks, Mitigations and Impact Assessments

###5.1 - Impact assessment

The tool was fully tested before deployment to ensure the decisions made by it were the same as would be made by a human against the same policy.

Automated decisions made in the production environment are periodically sampled and tested as above.

5.2 - Risks and mitigations

The main risk is that the tool makes an incorrect decision that impacts the user.

The tool was fully tested before deployment to ensure the decisions made by it were the same as would be made by a human against the same policy.

Automated decisions made in the production environment are periodically sampled and tested as above.

Applicants can also appeal the decision by contacting the Waste Management team. If the appeal is not upheld by the Waste Management team, further information is also provided to the applicant about the Council’s complaint process.