A Breathing Space

• I'm really pleased to be able to tell you that so far only four of the councils we are registered with have decided to stop paying Recycling Credits. This is brilliant news for our charities.

• It shows that decision makers have been able to see beyond short term savings and understand that the evidence provided in return for Recycling Credits will reduce the costs payable if UK and EU landfill targets are exceeded. 

• I realise that we have only seen the start of the spending cuts and we cannot afford to stop campaigning for Recycling Credits. If you would like any information from me or would like me to help you with lobbying, please contact me. 

• To see some of the amazing work carried out by our partner charities, please check out Clothes Aid website.

The Waiting Game

• I'm planning to write this blog until the end of this financial year. By then I should know which councils are keeping Recycling and Reuse Credits and which ones are cutting them.

• I am very aware of how difficult it is for local authorities to decide which of so many important activities will have to be cut.  This is why I have been so impressed with Cumbria's wide ranging public consultation.  It included an online web chat and public meetings, in addition to the main consultation. Council members answered all points made promptly and sought out facts when they were asked for.  Anyone, including me, who was slightly cynical about the point of the consultation and felt decisions had been made in advance, were delighted to be proved wrong.  The consultation ended with many changes being made to the original proposals.  I am very pleased to be able to quote from the council:

 'The opinions and reasoned arguments of the Cumbrian public, partner organisations and other stakeholders have been crucial in shaping the new budget and resulted in the removal of proposals including introducing charges for on-street parking, reviewing funding for community swimming, stopping the payment of recycling credits to the third sector and also saw far less severe reductions in the budget for maintaining footpaths and public rights of way.'

• I know that people who took part in the exercise welcomed the chance to have their views listened to.  

• I'm just waiting now to hear what will happen with the majority of councils, from whom I have not yet heard.  Let's just hope no news is good news.

Light in the Darkness

• It seems that I am doing a lot of waiting and hoping at the moment.  Along with many local government employees.

• I'm sending off claims for quarter 3 Recycling Credits and wondering whether quarter 4 will be the last ones I do.

• I received two letters in the last two weeks informing me that their council has decided that Recycling Credits will be one of the casualties of the spending cuts.  This is a particular disappointment to staff involved who have been proud to work with several charities in this way.

• The third letter, however, led me to believe that there was still hope.  It was from Lord Henley, minister responsible for Recycling Credits.  He supported the comments I have made before, namely that it would be a false economy to stop Recycling Credits because the resulting increase in landfill would result in even higher costs.

• Let's hope he is right.  I am of the impression that the people making the decisions about what costs to cut do not understand the complexities of Recycling Credits and Landfill Tax.

• Councils are put in the impossible position of having to choose between equally important areas of expenditure.

• What is clear is Recycling Credits does offer the opportunity for local authorities to save money in the long term.

• Feedback from one council indicates they will see sense and keep Recycling Credits because: 'We DO want to cut down (MUST cut down) landfill. We shall not reduce recycling credits.'

• So I go into February with fingers firmly crossed but a little more hopeful that we can continue to work together keeping biodegradable waste out of landfill.

A Snapshot of a Consultation

It has been great to hear the opinions of other recipients of recycling credits in response to Cumbria’s consultation.  This is a flavour of the responses: 

• I am shocked that the County Council have included recycling credits in the savings options. The proposal is for a small saving across the County, however the impact locally for us a charity is significant.
• I think your idea on reducing funding for recycling is insane considering it will cost the County Council £millions if you fail to meet targets
• The proposed removal of Recycling Credits would have a detrimental effect on our ability to do our work.
• Cutting the payments of Recycling Credits would have a huge impact on charities like ours. Cutting these payments could result in the possible LOSS OF 9 LIVES.
• Recycling credits represent a really important source of income at a time when charitable donations are under threat because of the difficult economic conditions,
• Recycling is popular with the general public, importantly reduces landfill and also earns vital income for a whole range of charities.

Below are responses to these comments from the head of Cumbria County Council.

• ‘Obviously there would also be a knock on effect where reuse and recycling would be hit, less recycling would mean Cumbria would find it hard to meet ever higher targets set.
• I think this proposal is on very shaky ground!
• Similarly, I have considerable reservations about cutting recycling credits to the Third sector and others; it simply will not encourage people to recycle. There is a key message here: If we STOP doing something what are the UNINTENDED consequences...
• We MUST reduce landfill, we MUST recycle more.'

The head of Cumbria County Council is hosting a live webchat as well as public meetings in January.  The Council is being very thorough in trying to get responses from different parts of the community.  I hope they will all be given full consideration before decisions are made.

Consultation Time

• This week we received another letter asking for views on whether to cut recycling and reuse credits.  I guess all councils are reviewing their costs ready for next financial year but they have not all asked for opinions from recipients of the credits.  I will expect more letters to arrive shortly.

• The tricky thing is how to get the message across to the people who will ultimately decide on what will be cut.  I’m trying to spell out as clearly as possible the advantages recycling and reuse credit schemes have to the councils but it’s not an easy area to understand.

• Yesterday I responded to a new approach from Cumbria who have opened up a public consultation and invited responses.  It’s good to feel part of a discussion and hear the views of other recipients of credits.  I see this as an opportunity to have our opinions heard and hopefully help council leaders to make an informed decision.

• I’ve been very impressed with the prompt responses from the council to people’s responses.  It gives us the opportunity to reply. One person has taken it upon themselves to liaise with those receiving recycling/reuse credits.  Working together and sharing ideas and information is good.

• You may be interested to follow the discussion so this is the link. bit.ly/ftiOKz

Meetings, meetings

• It’s been a busy couple of weeks attending conferences and a workshop but I think now is the time I need to be working hard to talk to as many people as possible about recycling and reuse credits, while budgets are being set.

• I went to the Civil Society and Waste Workshop at DEFRA.  Many people remarked that they had made a detailed response to the Call for Evidence and were not sure how useful the meeting was.  I felt it was good to hear what other people’s experiences were and raise awareness of Recycling and Reuse Credits to those who didn’t know what they were.  All charities are worried that the credits may be stopped in a short term desire to cut costs. They all said if that happened they would be unable to carry on sending in paperwork due to the administrative costs.  Collections would certainly go down in areas which stop credits with the result that more textiles go to landfill.

• The WRAP conference was full of men in suits, mostly a foot taller than me so I developed a stiff neck from looking up to talk to them.  I was able to ask the Secretary of State for DEFRA, Caroline Spelman, a question.  I asked her what the government was doing to encourage local government to keep Recycling and Reuse Credits as they are such an important source of income to charities.  Unfortunately she didn’t answer the question.  I guess she doesn’t know what recycling and reuse credits are.  I’ll be writing to give her some more information.  It helped raise awareness amongst others there anyway.

• Jane Davidson does know what they are.  I sent her a question to WRAP Cymru and she replied to tell me that Recycling and Reuse Credits are being reviewed in the Municipal Sector Plan.  Wales seems much more ambitious with their diversion from landfill targets.

From LARAC Conference

• At the LARAC conference this week, several of the speakers cautioned local authorities against making cuts in the short term which would end up costing more in the long term. 

• The withdrawal of recycling credits will result in organisations not providing councils with the data they need to show the Environment Agency they are making progress towards UK and EU landfill targets. 

• With landfill targets increasing each year, councils will be penalised heavily.