WRAP – the Waste & Resources Action Programme – and the Local Government Association yesterday (September 14) launched the Waste Collection Commitment, a voluntary service agreement based on research into what the public expect.
We certainly won't be saying that those people who don't sign up are culpable
Phillip Ward, WRAP
The commitment is aimed at improving residents' satisfactions with how waste and recycling is collected and helping councils to identify how they might improve their approach – including collecting as many materials as possible and explaining what happens to them.
However, some in the sector have voiced fears that the agreement could provide a “stick” for the media to attack local authorities, by inferring that those who don't sign up have a poor service and leaving those who do having to prove they have met the standards.
The commitment, which is endorsed by the Plain English Campaign, says:
We are committed to providing waste and recycling services which are good value for money and which meet the needs of our residents. This means we will:
1) Explain clearly what services you can expect to receive
2) Provide regular collections
3) Provide a reliable collection service
4) Consider any special requests that individual households may have
5) Design our services and carry out collections in a way that doesn't produce litter
6) Collect as many materials for recycling as we can and explain to you what happens to them
7) Explain clearly what our service rules are and the reasons for them
8) Tell you in good time if we have to make changes to your services, even temporarily
9) Respond to complaints we receive about our services
10) Tell al our residents about this commitment to collecting waste
In order to formulate the commitment, WRAP surveyed 2,000 householders in late 2008 to find out what they liked and disliked about their existing service. More than 80% of residents were satisfied with their service, but there was less satisfaction with how services were communicated – with 58% satisfied about communications relating to changes in collection service, and 54% satisfied with those relating to changes in the ‘rules'.
The research found that, of those questioned, the most important aspects of a good service were; reliability (28%), cleanliness of streets after collections (23%), regularity (22%) and ability to recycle a range of materials (15%).
Phillip Ward, director of local government services as WRAP, said: “Our research shows residents up and down the country have a common view about what they expect from a collection scheme. The things they want are reasonable and not hard to deliver: a reliable, regular service that they can understand, which makes it easy for them to recycle and leaves the streets clean.
“We believe that these objectives are widely shared by local authorities and most of them will be prepared to make the Commitment and take the opportunity to review their services against its principles.”
Gary Porter, chairman of the LGA's environment board added: “Many councils will already be doing the things outlined in the commitment but it is a great way for them to reassure residents about what they are getting.”
Enforcement
Mr Ward explained that the commitment would not be enforced centrally, but that local authorities would be expected to publicise it and deal with any complaints if those subsequently arose.
Commenting on suggestions that those who didn't sign up may be implicated, he said: “We certainly won't be saying that those people who don't sign up are culpable.”
The commitment has been developed in response to The Communities and Local Government Select Committee's Fifth Report of Session 2006-07 (Refuse Collection) which recommended that a core definition of what householders should expect from their waste and recycling services should be agreed. Defra asked WRAP and the LGA to look into the issue on its behalf (see letsrecycle.com story).
The Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) and Improvement and Efficiency South East have also helped shaped the work.
WRAP explained that within a month it hoped to have a number of councils signed up to the commitment, and was intending to hold a “one year on” event in 2010 to showcase achievements.
Register for free to comment