At a meeting of the full Council in Accrington Town Hall on 5th January 2017, the Conservative group Leader asked for clarity from Labour regarding statements in the local media concerning changes to recycling collections in Hyndburn.
Labour Leader of the Council, Miles Parkinson, confirmed that as of summer 2018 the waste collection cost-sharing agreement with Lancashire County Council will end. Hyndburn will switch to a full wheelie bin service for recycling which will see two additional bins for each of the 35,000 households in the borough and an end to the blue and white sack system.
Cllr Parkinson said, "To purchase the necessary wagons to fit down back
alleys and supply two new bins to every house in the borough will cost
in excess of £2m. This will use up our capital grant from the government
for an entire year but we feel that it will enable us to provide the
recycling collections that residents have been requesting for a long time
and streamline the service."
Cabinet member for Waste Services, Cllr Paul Cox said, "Hyndburn currently receives a substantial income from separated recycling but during 2018 our grant agreement with LCC will end and HBC will be around £800,000 per year worse off. At that point we will switch to combined recycling and provide an easier system for residents than the one we have now."
However, the plans were met with an angry response from the Conservative side and the scheme was derided as a poor investment of public funds.
Cllr Peter Britcliffe said, "As the system was only revamped three years ago, all I can say is what a waste of money."
Cllr Miles Parkinson responded, "The system was not revamped, the wagons were replaced as they had come to the end of their operational lifespan and at that time we did not know that the cost-sharing agreement would be coming to an end in 2018. As you had not set any money aside for new wagons during your decade in office, the Council was faced with an additional £700,000 bill in 2013."
The new recycling system will be operational by the summer of 2018.
