Cotswold Residents To Receive Info On Waste Plans

Letters and leaflets are being posted out following today�s (Tuesday, 16^th October) decision by Cotswold District Council to improve its service in order to reduce landfill waste and increase recycling rates.

The Council voted by 37 to four with one abstention to introduce a new waste service which should reduce the amount of rubbish the District sends to landfill sites by an estimated 20%.

The letters being mailed out will include a reply form and pre-paid envelope which householders should return to the Council as soon as possible to ensure they receive the service that meets their needs.

Alternatively, residents will be able to fill in their form online on the Council's website.

Cllr Mark Tufnell, Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: �The letter and leaflet, which, of course, are being printed on recycled paper, will contain information about how and why we will be changing the service next year.

�It is important that residents fill in the reply form so that we know, for example, which householders want to have their garden waste collected under the new service.�

The service, which will be rolled out across the District from February 2008, will include:

• The introduction of a weekly collection of food waste for composting
• The collection of garden waste weekly instead of fortnightly and the introduction of an annual charge of �30 per garden waste wheeled bin or �30 for a supply of 50 garden waste sacks
• The introduction of a fortnightly kerbside collection of card and cardboard for recycling

The continuation of the current fortnightly kerbside collection of paper, tins/cans, aerosols and glass for recycling

• The collection of non-recyclable waste fortnightly in wheeled bins or Council supplied coloured sacks, replacing the current weekly collection in an unlimited number of black sacks provided by householders.

Cllr Tufnell added: �The majority of people I have spoken to have supported this service once the details have been explained to them.

�We need to help the County Council reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill. Gloucestershire's two landfill sites are set to be completely full by 2016 and the potential penalties under the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme are significant, so we need to do something about it.

�If we don�t act to reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill, it will be very expensive for the residents of this district.�

The introduction of a charge for the collection of garden waste will ensure that only those residents who choose to receive this service will pay for it. However, residents in receipt of Council Tax benefit will be eligible for a 50% discount.

Council Leader Cllr Lynden Stowe said: �At a recent budget consultation meeting with residents, virtually everyone supported these proposals for an improved waste and recycling collection service.

�They also gave us a very clear message that users should pay for discretionary services where possible and that is the principle behind the �30 annual charge for the collection of garden waste.�

For more information about the forthcoming new service, visit www.cotswold.gov.uk or telephone 01285 623123.

Notes:

Cotswold District Council�s current kerbside waste and recycling collection service consists of:

• Weekly collection of non-recyclable household waste in black sacks provided by the householder � residents are able to put out an unlimited number of sacks
• Fortnightly collection of dry recyclables � paper, cans/tins and aerosols, glass bottles and jars � in kerbside boxes
• Fortnightly collection of garden waste, either in wheelie bins or brown garden waste sacks

The new service, approved CDC's Full Council meeting on 16^th October, will consist of:

• Weekly collection of food waste in new food waste containers
• Optional weekly collection of garden waste, either in wheeled bins or brown paper garden sacks. Residents wanting to receive this weekly garden waste collection will be charged �30 per year for each garden waste wheeled bin or �30 for a supply of 50 brown paper garden waste sacks
• Fortnightly collection of dry recyclables, in kerbside boxes as above with the addition of card and cardboard in new reusable bags to be issued to every household

Fortnightly collection of non-recyclable household waste in wheeled bins (or a supply of 100 coloured refuse sacks per year for those householders who cannot accommodate a wheelie bin). No additional non-recyclable waste will be collected unless it is contained within Council-issued coloured refuse sacks