- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Spending cuts are putting this funding source at risk. The need to make savings in the short term has resulted in local authorities reviewing recycling credits. If they decide to stop this mutually beneficial scheme the long term costs will be high.
