Wandsworth Council says its new refuse and recycling contract will guarantee weekly bin collections, fewer lorries on the borough’s roads and a pledge not to introduce a system that would require residents to keep separate food slop containers.

The new contract will commence in April 2012. The Council says that improved efficiencies and changes to the contract specification, backed by residents in detailed consultations, will deliver savings to local taxpayers on the existing arrangements of almost £1m a year.

The new contract also removes the need to make pick-ups on Saturdays - meaning residents in the west of the borough will no longer have their Saturday mornings disturbed. 
 
Orange recycling sacks will continue to be regularly distributed to doorsteps by the collectors as part of their duties, while the popular annual Christmas tree collections are also retained.
 
A new fleet of bin lorries with split compartments will be introduced allowing refuse sacks and orange sacks to be picked up at the same time. This change will save money in operational costs, reduce traffic congestion on local roads and benefit air quality levels.
 
Residents living in high rise properties will also continue to have twice weekly collections - and in some cases up to three times a week.
 
councillors have also voted not to introduce a more complicated and inconvenient system that would have required residents to keep a second refuse container in kitchens just for food scraps.
 
Earlier this year members of the public were invited to take part in a comprehensive online survey and consultation to establish what refuse and recycling services they would like to see provided. Nearly 500 people took part and their views have been largely incorporated into the new contract.

The savings it delivers will be just over £937,000 each and every year over the course of the eight year deal.
 
Environment spokesman Cllr Jonathan Cook said: "We are committed to providing a high quality refuse and recycling service to our residents and offering the best possible value for money for local taxpayers. This new contract will deliver on both fronts."

 

July 1, 2011