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Cornwall seeks extra funding for £62m waste overhaul

Cornwall council will next week (27 June) consider an undisclosed increase to its £62 million budget to overhaul waste collections and treatment in the area.

Cornwall council will meet next week (27 June) to consider an increase to its waste treatment budget

As part of the project, the council has proposed to build a new materials recycling facility (MRF) at Hallenbeagle and a transfer station in Pool, as part of plans to “future-proof” the waste services in the area.

Some existing facilities are also to be redeveloped to “receive food waste, a new vehicle fleet and an increase in recycling material” once it rolls out a new collection service.

This would help the council deliver the requirements of the Resources and Waste Strategy and was agreed in 2019 to cost £62 million.

However, in a report to go before the cabinet, the council said the construction market, particularly in Cornwall, is facing “unprecedented challenges” such as increasing costs of materials and labour and “other inflationary pressures”.

This means that the current approved programme is “unable to contain the additional costs of implementing the new waste collection arrangements”.

The exact amount needed was redacted by the council, but the council said it would exceed £75 million.

Legislation

The council also said there are a number of future changes to waste legislation which will impact how services are funded going forward, though many don’t have the “clarity” required.

The report said: “These include providing garden waste collections without charge, which will reduce income and also increase disposal costs, free DIY waste disposal at household waste recycling centres without new burdens funding and carbon tax on energy from waste facilities under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.”

Cornwall stated that these will be considered as part of the financial modelling when more reliable estimates in terms of timing and financial impact can be established.

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