Re3 refers to the partnership between Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham borough councils and FCC Environment to increase the amount of waste that is reused, recycled and composted across the area and to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.
From 1 July 2016, only re3 area residents will be able to use the recycling centres in Bracknell and Reading. This follows a decision made by West Berkshire council at its March budget meeting to stop its contribution of £460,000 to re3 in the face of what it has called “unprecedented savings requirements.”
According to the West Berkshire council, the joint arrangement was withdrawn “in order to save the council approximately £97,000.” It is also rearranging its recycling service to access the recycling centres in Newtown Road, Newbury and at Padworth.
Taxpayers
At a time of severe budget cuts but increasing demand for council services, the three re3 councils have indicated that they feel it is “unfair” to ask council taxpayers to pay for waste management services for residents living in other local authorities.
The windscreen permits will serve as a quick way to check visitor’s ID and to help minimise queueing.
Bracknell Forest’s executive member for environment and chairman of the Joint Waste Disposal Board, councillor Dorothy Hayes, said: “We are implementing these changes to ensure fairness for re3 area residents both in terms of their access to the two recycling centres in Bracknell and Reading and not paying for the disposal of the waste from other areas via their council tax.
“These changes have had to be introduced at very short notice after West Berkshire council’s decision to end the joint agreement, but we are continuing to spread this message ahead of the changes being made.”
The total cost for implementing the changes to the recycling centres in the first year— including staff, site changes and permit distribution— is estimated at £340,000. The full year ongoing savings to re3 residents are estimated at £835,000 as they include savings in the quantity of waste being processed as a result from a drop in visitors.
Implementation
Every household in Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham is being issued with a permit to help ensure fairness and convenience. The permit is not linked to an individual car registration, but can be used with different vehicles in the same household.
Re3 area residents should display the new permit in their car windscreen to gain access to the recycling centres in Bracknell and Reading. Alternative forms of ID will be accepted, but checking these documents will slow down access.
Reading borough council’s lead for neighbourhoods, Cllr Liz Terry, said: “The re3 partnership is here to provide value for money and efficient waste management services for Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham, and we wanted to ensure that every household in the re3 area received a permit ready for use, and without the inconvenience of having to apply for one.
“The permits, when displayed on car windscreens, are a simple and quick way to check that only re3 area residents are using the re3 recycling centres and that we are not all paying for the processing of waste from elsewhere.”
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