‘Collecting food waste weekly would bankrupt us’, says leader
COUNCILLOR CLAIMS NEW WASTE PLAN WOULD NOT WORK AT CASH-STRAPPED AUTHORITY
AMBITIOUS government plans to introduce weekly food waste collections across the country would “bankrupt” cash-strapped Kirklees Council.
That’s the claim from senior councillors on the Labour-run authority, which is already struggling to cope with the brutal effects of austerity cuts.
The plan was announced by Environment Secretary Michael Gove as part of a new crackdown that includes making businesses pay for recycling their own waste.
The government says its Resources and Waste Strategy will ensure weekly collections of food waste, “which is often smelly and unpleasant,” for every household – restoring weekly collections in some local authorities.
This will be subject to consultation, which will also consider free garden waste collections, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfill.
Councils such as Kirklees will be given extra cash to improve their waste and recycling systems.
But in a forthright attack deputy Labour Group leader Clr David Sheard dismissed the reintroduction of weekly food waste collections as “a nonsense” and “a knee-jerk reaction”.
His reaction came as senior councillors on Kirklees’ Cabinet heard an overview of the council’s corporate performance report, which includes an update on waste management.
He asked colleagues whether information in the report needed updating given this the government’s announcement “and their intention to bankrupt us by making us collect food waste every week.
“It’s going to cost a fortune because we’re going to have to bring a weekly collection in just for waste food, and what are we going to do with it?
“At the moment we have a fortnightly collection of general waste and a fortnightly collection of [green]. Now we’re going to have to bring in new wagons. Who’s going to pay for it all? It just seems a nonsense.
“It seems a knee-jerk reaction from the government. I just don’t think it’ll work.”
His comments were echoed by cabinet colleague Clr Graham Turner, who said: “It is a nonsense. What’s the point of collecting it because unless you’ve got a massive digester it’ll end up in landfill so you might as well pick it up every fortnight.
“The government haven’t thought it through.”
Mr Gove’s plan was described as “superficially appealing” by an economics expert.
Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said the plans represented “an ambitious package of reforms” but that the public should get ready to pay for them.
“These policies will create many new costs, all of which will be passed onto consumers. Mr Gove’s plan is superficially appealing but it will place significant burdens on households in terms of both time and money.”
Mr Gove’s announcement comes as latest national figures reveal Kirklees to be the 25th worst borough at recycling out of about 350 across the country.
Only 27% of the borough’s household waste is recycled – 17% below the national average and 21% worse than neighbouring Calderdale.
Council chiefs have said the national figures don’t reflect the true reality of their recycling efforts.
New bin wagons and street sweepers are also amongst the hundreds of vehicles costing £4m as Kirklees updates its fleet.
It just seems a knee-jerk reaction from the government. I don’t
think it will work