Minutes:
Cllr Boulter advised that if not already, residents will be receiving a letter to details the Council’s intention of moving to an alternate weekly bin collection. Oadby and Wigston are one of this last Councils to move in this direction. The Council are working with consultants to look to optimise the best ways to collect waste and reduce its carbon footprint.
Cllr Boulter highlighted that the Government are soon to bring in legislation that will then require companies to reduce their packaging. This should reduce the quantity of recycling items placed in bins by residents. There is also soon to be weekly food waste collections per rules set by the Government.
The Council are offering residents to the opportunity to purchase large refuse bins at a one off payment of £38. Cllr Boulter encouraged residents to try to use their current bins in the first instance.
The Government are soon to introduce standard items for recycling that will be shared with residents. It has also taken roughly 18 months for the Council to order and then receive refuse vehicles which use 4 miles to the gallon. Other areas have tried electric vehicles but these have failed. Cllr Boulter confirmed that the Council have enough vehicles to collect waste, but the total number has reduced.
The projected total saving to moving the alternate waste collection is £240,000.
If the Council had not made this decision, it may have resulted in bankruptcy and being served a 114 Notice. This in essence allows the government to move its own staff in to manage the Council and make future decisions. The Council will also be burdened with paying for the service.
The proposal will be introduced in the first week of September.
A suggestion was made by a resident to collect both recycling and refuse bins on the same day, but area by area. That way, some residents will have all their bins collected one week or others the following week. Cllr Boulter is to raise this to the consultants.
A resident asked if there was an option to purchase larger recycling bins. I believe this referred to purchasing recycling bins with the capacity of 240L as some still have 140L bins. Cllr Charlesworth stated there are currently no plans to offer bigger recycling bins. Cllr Boulter noted that as above, with new legislation soon to be introduced restricting the packaging from companies, this should reduce the number of items residents should have to recycle.
A question was asked by a resident, who would replace damaged or stolen bins. Cllr Boulter referred to residents when being provided a bin, enter into a contract in which they own the bin. That said, if bins are damaged by the Council, they may be replaced free of charge.
Cllr Boulter in response to a resident advised that any excess cardboard left net to the recycling bin will be collected, but black bags next to a refuse bin will not.
Cllr Charlesworth enquired about bin lids that are left open due to the bin being full. Cllr Boulter advised that the lids should be flat when collected.
A resident asked if refuse bins can have an identifiable number to link it back to a specific address, similar to the garden bins. Cllr Boulter will explore this.
Cllr Boulter explained that the Government have advised that food waste can be put in garden waste. Cllr Boulter however stated that this is restricted depending on where the garden waste is then disposed.
Cllr Boulter confirmed in response to a resident query that the Council have and are liaising with fellow Council’s in respect of best practice. The method in which the Council are looking to introduce is similar to the scheme in Melton.
A further question was raised in respect of how the Council will evidence that it has reduced its carbon footprint. Cllr Boulter advised that there is a formula that will calculate this.