Inspectors David Rosselli and Joanna Dooher, who carried out the study in 2001, said: “A significant deficit developed last year in the refuse collection budget which has required extra funds to put things right.”
As well as corporate management, public education, financial planning and waste minimisation issues, the report had real reservations over the poor conditions of the district's recycling facilities.
“Many of the 'igloo' type glass recycling banks are poorly maintained,” inspectors said, adding: “the choice of which materials can be recycled is not as wide as it should be and home composting has not been promoted enough.”
They also pointed out: “The council takes too long to remove abandoned vehicles and fly tips.”
The Best Value Inspection report was carried out by the Audit Commission as part of legislation brought in by the government two years ago to ensure that local authorities are meeting public expectations and continually improving.
'B;lip'
Although the council received cautious praise with regard to its 'promising prospects for improvement', the low recycling rate – currently at 6.6% – was singled out for criticism as well as the amount of refuse that was not collected last year.
Defending the council's record, Keith Fairbrother, manager of technical and contracting support, said: “We have an excellent record of not missing collections and it’s a shame that there was a blip in the review year due to circumstances beyond our control.”
Mr Fairbrother insisted that some of the criticisms of the report would be hard to address. He said: “Things have to get into a pretty poor state before we can justify taking action under the legal powers available to us.”
Promising prospects
It hasn't all been doom and gloom at North West Leicestershire, however. The district council is improving matters, and according to the commission report is on course to meet the government's recycling target for 2005/6.
The council has earmarked 619,000 to expand door-to-door recycling schemes, which currently serve 24,000 households, throughout the district over the next four years, as well as promising to significantly increase public information and education.
Mr Fairbrother said: “I’m pleased that the report recognises our strengths and the plans we already have firmly in place to make significant improvements by recycling 24% of our rubbish by 2006.”
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