The council first announced the change in July because it was concerned about the cost of supplying the liners, as it has done for the past two years (see letsrecycle.com story).
The decision was “called in”, a procedure which the authority’s constitution allows to ensure its business is conducted democratically, shortly afterwards for closer scrutiny. A meeting of the council’s overview and scrutiny management committee on 24 October confirmed the decision.
According to a report which went before the meeting, the estimated cost of the caddy liners for 2022/23 has escalated “dramatically” to around £120,000, “reflecting crude oil price increases.”
Cllr Ian Shenton, Wokingham’s executive member for environment, sport and leisure, said: “Stopping the supply of caddy liners would avoid adding a further £120,000 to our next year’s budget.
“This is especially important because, in the face of unprecedented financial pressures, we are striving to reduce our day-to-day running costs to protect services for our most vulnerable residents.”
The council has encouraged residents to line their caddies using any soft plastic bags they have at home, such as carrier bags, bread bags, cereal bags or fruit and vegetable bag. Residents may also leave their caddies unlined.
Food waste
Wokingham’s waste collections contractor, Veolia, will continue to collect food waste weekly despite the council stopping the supply of liners.
The report said the council distributed seven million caddy liners to residents with the introduction of Wokingham’s food waste service in 2019. Each property received a starter pack of 100 liners to support residents with the transition.
“Income to the waste service has subsequently enabled the supply of caddy liners to properties,” the report reads, but “due to financial and environmental pressures this income from the waste service can no longer be realised.”
The report suggested several councillors had expressed concerns that stopping the supply of liners could lead to a drop in the volume of food waste collected.
However, the council says it is to undertake a “strong communications campaign” to highlight the issue of food waste in residual waste. At the moment, the council says, the contamination level is at around 20%.
Representing an estimated population of more than 177,000, Wokingham borough council had a household waste recycling rate of 54.3% in the 2020/21 financial year.
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