Essex county council is surveying residents on their use of household waste and recycling centres (HWRCs) across the county as it seeks to make savings of 235 million over the next three years.
According to the council, the survey is the start of a process to review and understand how recycling centres need to change in order to meet the long term requirements of residents, and to ensure this service is delivered in the most cost effective way for Essex taxpayers.
And, launching the survey yesterday (January 27), the council suggested that some HWRCs could potentially be under the threat of closure.
The council states that although many of the centres are modern purpose-built facilities, it may be the case that some of the older sites may no longer be best placed to meet the needs of a modern recycling centre.
Currently, 21 HWRCs are operated in the county under a 115 million, eight-year contract with Veolia Environmental Services, signed in May 2013 (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, the council said that running the centres costs the council 6.4 million per year and that significant investment in kerbside recycling services has been made by all local authorities in Essex, resulting in fewer residents needing to dispose of waste at HWRCs.
Savings
‘maintaining expenditure at existing levels in the current financial climate is unsustainable, and we have to look at where efficiency savings could be made.’
Essex county councillor Roger Walters, cabinet member for waste and recycling
In the midst of significant financial challenges, the council is seeking to make 235 million savings over the next three years and is therefore reviewing spending across all its services.
The council added that waste management activities have to make a contribution towards this savings target.
County councillor Roger Walters, cabinet member for waste and recycling, said: The county council is keen to ensure that it continues to provide the very best recycling services for residents, however maintaining expenditure at existing levels in the current financial climate is unsustainable, and we have to look at where efficiency savings could be made.
We are keen for as many residents as possible to complete this survey, to find out what is most important to them about our recycling centre service. The responses we receive will be carefully considered and reviewed alongside information we already hold on recycling centre usage.
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The survey, which launched yesterday (January 27), is open to responses until April 20 2014.
Last week, organics recycling firm Tamar Energy announced that it had signed a 1.7 million, three-year contract to treat 54,000 tonnes per year of green and food waste on behalf of the county council (see letsrecyle.com story).
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