The fund was first announced on September 30 in a joint statement issued by Mr Pickles and Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman (see letsrecycle.com story). Councils will be invited in the coming months to bid for a share of the money.
But, no details have yet been given as to what type of weekly collections the fund will support with the government only referring to the weekly collection ofsmelly waste.
As a result, the Kent Waste Partnership (KWP) which represents the 13 local authorities across Kent yesterday (October 10) issued a statement in which it argued that weekly food waste collections should qualify for support.
The partnership says thata share of the money would be a great benefit in Kent, where nine of the 12 waste collection authorities already collect food waste weekly, with the other three – Canterbury, Swale and Thanet – planning to do so from 2013.
The establishment of the Weekly Collections Support Scheme, and the funding of up to 250 million that has been made available, are warmly welcomed by the KWP, the statement says. We believe that the Secretaries of State are seeking to match their words of encouragement with tangible, and credible, actions intended to support councils that tackle residents concerns around smelly waste.
The Partnership calls for the right frequency of collections for the right materials highlighting the importance of tackling concerns around smelly waste, limiting council tax and helping to raise recycling and composting performance all at the same time. In Kent, it claims that a combination of weekly food waste collections and fortnightly collection of non-smelly dry recyclables and residual waste is the best way forward.
It says: The KWP believes that taxpayers interests will be service well if the process of arriving at the precise detail, criteria and management of the fund are designed with the KPWs ethos of the right frequencies of collections for the right materials in mind.
We would be willing to assist DCLG, Defra and other local government colleagues in testing the effectiveness of the funds aims and practical deliverability.
Details
Councillor Paul Barrington-King, chair of the Kent Waste Partnership and portfolio holder for sustainability at Tunbridge Wells borough council, said that he looked forward to receiving details of the fund.
He said: The Secretaries of State have jointly identified the need to put in place the right frequency of collections for the right materials. Weekly collections of food waste is the right frequency for this material.
The availability of the new 250 million fund is a great practical help to the Kent councils in helping us roll-out weekly food waste collections and we look forward to receiving fund details as soon as possible.
DCLG
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When contacted by letsrecycle.com today (October 11) a spokesman for the Department for communities and local government said that the details of the Weekly Collections Support Scheme were being rounded out as we speak.
He added: The details are going to be out shortly but we cannot say exactly when.
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