While Stoke-on-Trent City Council are languishing around the 40 % mark for recycling, our close neighbours Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council have increased their rates from 27% in 2009 to more than 55% per cent in November 2010 and have been nominated for the Waste Management Award at the Government Business Awards 2011 as a result
Researchers have been looking at all collection and disposal authorities across the country to find “outstanding” schemes that are cost-effective, provide a high level of service and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.
As well as Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority, London Borough of Hillingdon, Peterborough City Council and Hull City Council have all been shortlisted for the award, the winner of which will be announced at Twickenham Stadium on Thursday, 17 February by BBC journalist and news presenter Bill Turnbull.
I’m delighted that we have been singled out nationally for best practice in waste management.Recycling in Newcastle has been revolutionised. We have an efficient scheme that separates materials at the kerbside which means everything is turned into new products.
But this recognition is not possible without the effort of residents, who have really embraced recycling.
Newcastle are already eclipsing the recycling figure that Stoke-on-Trent hope to be able to achieve by 2015. Questions about recycling here in Stoke still remain unanswered after Pits n Pots were forced down the FOI route, despite the head of directorate Jane Forshaw saying she would happily answer any questions about the recycling service in Stoke-on-Trent
We in Talke Pits have been recycling most throw-away items for about 18months now, including waste food. I was very sceptical at first, with all the bins, boxes and bags that we have to fill everyweek. But it’s second nature now and we recycle about 80% of our waste. It’s gratifying that most households take part and do their bit for the enviroment. I’m loving the fact that Newcastle-Under-Lyme are one of the best recycling towns in the UK. Lets face it, putting waste into a bin or a bag is no great hardship is it.
It’s no wonder that Newcastle want to keep firm the border that separates them from us in Joke-on-Trent.
It’s quite heartening, to hear of a Council doing well.
We’re that used to scandal, financial mismanagement and sheer stupidity in Stoke that it makes a refreshing change. If you look at it, Stoke is now bordered by two of the most successful councils, in terms of recycling at least. Staffordshire Moorlands are top of the league for the second year running and Newcastle have almost doubled their recycling rate and have already met their 2015 target without having to incur any extra costs.
So why are our neighbouring Councils doing so much better than Stoke? Why can they sit back now and enjoy the fruits of their labours while Stoke tries to find a way to fudge the figures to get to their 2015 target with no money available?
Let’s have a little potted history shall we?
In 2007 Stoke and Newcastle worked together and had a successful kerbside collection of recyclables.
Stoke officers claimed that they wanted to work with other authorities and so, despite already being deeply involved with Newcastle, tried to get involved with Staffordshire Moorlands. To their credit, Staffordshire Moorlands who were already working in partnership with High Peak Borough Council declined.
Stoke and Newcastle independently appointed WRAP to look at ways of improving the collection service to meet the 2010 and 2015 targets.
WRAP recommend to both Councils that the existing kerbside collection service is further developed to extend the range of materials collected.
Stoke officers ignored WRAPs recommendations and misrepresented their report.
Newcastle officers took up WRAPs offer to present to members and members voted to implement a system that developed the existing kerbside collection system.
Stoke officers go their own way and against expert advice completely change the system. Members are not given the full facts and are asked to rubber stamp a fait accompli weeks after £1.6 million of bins were ordered by an officer without the proper authority to do so. (We’ll deal with the EMB later is the quote)
End result? Newcastle up for an award; Stoke being investigated by the District Auditor.
And the officers? Gone, not hauled up and investigated, just quietly gone, no doubt with a gagging order.
well done Dave
I agree Dave, Stafford Borough Council are up there with the best of em as well, funny that all the best are Conservative run, just shows that Labour doesn’t control Council’s but let the officers do it, result, take a look at the state Stoke’s in, enough said!!