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Liverpool likely to take control of waste collection

Liverpool city council has said that it is set to take control of its environmental services – including waste collection, street cleansing and parks maintenance. 

The services have been delivered by council-owned subsidiary Liverpool Streetscene Services (LSSL) since 2016. 

The council said that a number of factors have caused them to reconsider the current arrangement, including “upcoming national legislation on food recycling rates”.  

It added that the move is part of a wider drive to improve the city’s low recycling rates and strengthen environmental enforcement action.  

Liverpool’s recycling rate is the second lowest in the country with 17.9% of household waste being reused, composted or recycled in 2022/23. 

The recommendation comes in a report for the council’s cabinet which will meet next Tuesday (12 November 2024). The report was influenced by responses from the council’s annual residents’ survey, in which the cleanliness of the city was identified as the number one priority.  

Subject to cabinet approval the process of transferring LSSL staff, will take place over the next year and is due to be completed by 31 October 2025. 

What has the council said about the recommendation?  

Council leader Liam Robinson said: “This recommendation is a clear example of Liverpool city council listening to residents about what issues they most want to see sorted and looking at ways to continually evolve and improve. 

“Insourcing is not a decision we have taken lightly, but there is clear evidence that having all of our environmental services under one roof can create positive benefits and outcomes for the city’s residents. 

“I want to be crystal clear that this is no reflection on the staff at LSSL, who have consistently delivered tremendous work. 

“This move is about the council prioritising and putting in place the right conditions to drive innovation and efficiency across our services, bringing direct benefits to the people of Liverpool who depend on them.” 

Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, cabinet member for communities, neighbourhoods and Streetscene, added: “Liverpool’s streets and parks are the number one concern for our residents, and this council. 

“How we maintain them as well as collect, manage and recycle waste and enforce against dumping and littering is an issue that we have been looking at intensively for the past 18 months. This has already led to a number of improvements and new investment. 

“The next step in the journey is to provide environmental services that better reflect the needs of each community and the best way to achieve that flexible approach is to insource the staff from LSSL. 

“This move would also provide new opportunities for further innovation and efficiency, bringing direct benefits to our residents and businesses as well as improving the overall cleanliness of our city.” 

The council said that additional work on a new recycling and waste strategy is currently underway and is expected to be presented to the cabinet early next year.  

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