Bedford Borough Bin Bonanza

Many residents living in larger households contacted me after I became Mayor about the Council's refusal to provide additional orange or green recycling bins or even bags to use alongside bins when they became full. Having campaigned for many years to make it easier for residents to use the recycling collection schemes, for example for new recycling facilities at blocks of flats and for a wider range of materials to be included, I have been determined as Mayor to continue to support residents to recycle. I therefore changed this policy, as residents who want to recycle must be supported to do so. Anyone who wants additional capacity to recycle more, either via more green or orange bags or a bin, can have it.

Residents who do not currently have an orange or green lidded bin can get one for free at the moment. Anyone who would like a second orange or green recycling bin can purchase one for just £15, half the usual price. For more details of these current offers, see http://www.bedford.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_news/free_bin_bonanza.aspx

Those who want additional rolls of orange or green bags can purchase them, whether they are used instead of an orange or green bin, or as an addition to it,

We are currently recycling around 40% of household waste in our Borough. This is a record, and represents a significant increase on previous years. However, we can do better. For example, only around 25% of tin cans and 34% of cardboard are recycled in the orange lidded bins. If we can increase that, we can save around £500,000 per year. This is local taxpayers' money which could be invested on other services in the borough. We simply cannot afford the environmental or financial costs of continuing to landfill waste at current rates, and we must continue to work together to drive recycling rates up still further.

Of course, the former Conservative County Council tried to force fortnightly waste collections on households in Bedford Borough. Fortunately they were unsuccessful, unlike in Mid and South Beds, both of which have had their main rubbish collections halved by the Conservatives. They must not be allowed to do so here, and I pleased to be able to ensure that Bedford Borough Council works with local residents to help them recycle, rather than trying to force unwanted changes on households. I know from discussions with residents across the Borough that households in Bedford Borough simply do not want fortnightly waste collection. Instead they want the Council to find savings in other, non-frontline areas, and to support them to recycle, not work against them. This is what we have been doing, and in yet another example this, we hope to shortly be able to announce a further addition to the range of materials included in the orange recycling collection scheme. So watch this space!