The move comes after Powys council announced in September that it would end its contract for the collection and processing of recyclables with Cae Post from April 2017 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Cae Post delivers services that provide people who are disadvantaged in the labour market with work.
Currently, Cae Post offers waste management and recycling collections to businesses and households across mid-Wales. Materials are collected and sorted at the materials recycling facility at Trewern, which provides work placements to adults with learning disabilities. The social enterprise is now looking to lease the resource recovery centre in Trewern from the council.
Sue Packer, general manager at Cae Post, said: “Recently, Powys county council decided not to extend our contract to deliver kerbside recycling, bringsite collections of plastic and cans and the operation of the materials recovery facility – services we have successfully operated for well over a decade.
“We accept, of course, that the county council has the right to bring the service in-house, but it will impact significantly on our clients who benefit so much from working at Cae Post each week.
“The important thing for us now is to be secure in our premises, so that we can plan for the future and develop new income streams that allow us to continue our work with some of the county’s most deserving people.”
Community Asset Transfer
A Community Asset Transfer is a transfer of land or buildings from a public body to a community-based organisation at less than market value, to achieve a local social, economic or environmental benefit.
Cae Post will be contacting Powys’s councillors to inform them of the work the social enterprise does with people who find it difficult to get jobs – asking councillors to support the Community Asset Transfer.
Ms Packer added: “If we are successful with our bid to Powys county council, ownership or a long lease of the building will enable us to seek investment to develop new businesses.
“This will mean we can provide increased job and volunteering opportunities, reduce poverty and assist in the economic and environmental well-being of not only Powys but the rest of Wales well into the future.”
A spokesman from Powys county council said: “We can confirm we have received an application for a capital asset transfer of Cae Post building, the application will be considered by the council’s Strategic Asset Board in due course.”
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