Waste collection in Shrewsbury over the next six months will cost £370,000 more than originally planned – with taxpayers helping to foot the bill.
Veolia Environmental Services has been handed a budget of £1.37 million to collect waste in the borough from October 20 until March 31 after taking over responsibility from Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council.
SABC had set aside just over £1 million to collect people’s rubbish across the borough during the same period.
But despite the increase, complaints have already been made about waste and recycling not being picked up.
According to a county council cabinet report, a £373,000 ‘uplift’ has been worked into the budget to cater for vehicle replacement costs, container replacement costs, fuel and staffing.
The shortfall will be made up by transferring the borough council’s stock of replacement wheeled bins and boxes valued at £105,000 and by taking around £120,000 from the borough council’s public amenities reserve.
It is understood further rises will be made in future years to cater for an extension of kerbside recycling to include plastics and kitchen waste from 2010.
But despite the additional costs, borough council leader Peter Nutting has already received complaints about the service in its first few weeks of operation.
Rubbish bags and cardboard for recycling have not been collected on time in the town centre, and there have also been claims that plain bin bags have been left behind by collectors.
Councillor Nutting said: “The feeling is the waste isn’t being collected from all areas with the same efficiency.
“It took three weeks to get some cardboard left out on St John’s Hill collected and in some cases if the bags don’t have the borough council logo on they are not being picked up.”
Gareth Proffitt, a spokesman for Shropshire Waste Partnership, said: “The uplift in the ongoing revenue budget that will be used to fund the new SWP waste contract takes into account the fact that there will be significant service enhancements in the Shrewsbury area under the new contract.
“Without these service changes, our contractor would have provided, at a lower cost, the same level of service.”
l Have you had a problem with household waste collections? If so ring us on 01743 283313.
