Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of Brighton’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, defended the city following the publication of its recycling record for the first three quarters of 2015/16.
Released in the council’s annual performance update, the figures show the amount of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting between April and December 2015. Just 24.68% of waste was recorded as being recycled compared to 25.66% for the same period last year, and 25.73% in 2013/14.
It remains to be seen whether the council will hit its overall annual target of 28% recycling, as results for the fourth and final quarter of 2015/16 are not due to be confirmed until the autumn.
The results paint a bleak picture for Brighton’s waste and recycling services. Collections have previously suffered from industrial action, while the council underwent an administrative transition in May 2015 following Labour’s victory over the Green Party at the local elections.
Service
At present, Brighton operates a fortnightly commingled recycling service collected from a 50-litre box, with glass collected separately from either a box or bag. Refuse is collected weekly from black bin bags.
The council report compares the 24% rate with the rates of its ‘local authority neighbours’ for the full 2014/15 year, as identified by the Association for Public Service Excellence.
These include:
- Blackburn with Darwen borough council (36.8%)
- Blackpool borough council (39.9%)
- Gateshead MBC (35.9%)
- Knowsley MBC (36.7%)
- North Tyneside council (37.4%)
- Rotherham MBC (37.6%)
The document also adds the rate does not compare favourably with – Cheltenham, Bournemouth and Bristol – which it links to an absence of separate food and fortnightly refuse collections in the city.
But Cllr Mitchell has suggested that despite its poor recycling rate, the council recorded “one of the best landfill diversion rates in the country” for the first three quarters of 2015/16, with just 4.17% of waste landfilled.
We have ruled out fortnightly collections as it would not be workable or cost effective for the city
Cllr Gill Mitchell
Environment, transport and sustainability chair
She added: “It is a challenge to keep basic services going against a climate of budget reductions, but we are also introducing ways to generate income, such as the business waste disposal service available within the communal refuse bin areas of the city.
“We have ruled out fortnightly collections as it would not be workable or cost effective for the city.
“Comparing Brighton & Hove with neighbours is not an ideal way of assessing our performance because it is not comparing like with like. Some areas are more rural and collect high amounts of green waste which is included in the recycling tonnage.”
Trials
To overcome its poor recycling, Brighton has trialled the introduction of wheeled bins in Hangleton and South Portslade, resulting in an average recycling increase of 1.1kg per household. The results could mean a full roll out of the bins in the city.
Brighton has also been collecting textiles since March and has extended a green waste collection trial after 2,500 householders signed up. A review of waste strategy targets is due to be agreed for 2016/17.
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