Suez signs £18m-a-year contract with Southend-on-Sea

From April 2025, Suez will assume collections from 85,500 households, alongside the management of two household waste recycling centres (HWRCs), a transfer station and the city’s street cleansing operations.

The contract includes the transition to a full wheeled bin collection scheme with alternate weekly collections. Suez and the council will launch a new Resident app, where people can access information about their waste services.

For the contract, a partially electric street cleansing fleet, use of recycled vegetable oil (HVO) for all plant machinery and route optimisation to lower vehicle mileage will all contribute to cutting emissions.

Residents will be able to recycle a wider range of items at the two sites and the reuse shop at Stock Road will be revived and joined by a third shop at Leigh Marshes.

‘Engaging with residents’

John Scanlon, chief executive officer, Suez, said: “We look forward to embarking on this new partnership which will roll out new customer service benefits for residents, together with an ambitious strategy to help the council realise its carbon neutral aspirations, increase recycling rates and deliver lasting benefits for the local community.”

Cabinet member for climate, environment and waste at Southend-on-Sea city council, Lydia Hyde, said: “We recognise that the move to alternate weekly collections and the introduction of wheeled bins is a significant adjustment for residents. We want residents to understand the new scheme and how collections will work, and so we will be providing lots of information and engaging with residents throughout the transition period.

“In the meantime, reducing black bag waste and increasing recycling rates is vital, so please keep on recycling everything you can, including your food and garden waste and reducing black bag waste. Finally, I would like to thank Veolia UK for their commitment and dedication to Southend-on-Sea over the last nine years. I am pleased that staff will have the opportunity to move over to the new contractor and can continue their important work keeping our streets clean.”