West Suffolk Council's extra £280k for lorries and bins

The spending was unanimously approved on Tuesday evening by members of West Suffolk Council’s cabinet as a way for the council to meet the government’s new recycling rules.

The new rules require non-domestic organisations such as schools, care homes and hospitals, as well as businesses with 10 or more employees, to separate food waste and dry recycling from general waste by March 2025, one year ahead of households being required to do the same.

The proposals were for £245,000 to be invested over eight years into buying two additional waste lorries, with a one-off £38,000 payment for extra food waste and recycling bins.

Councillor Dave Taylor, who proposed the investment, said: “While [the legislation] represents a challenge to local authorities and to businesses and non-domestic organisations, it also provides an opportunity to take a big leap forward in recycling.

The extra money will also allow the council to extend the current recycling service to about 1,130 customers who do not have one.

When requirements for households come into effect, it will also mean weekly food waste collections to 80,000 homes.

In total, the council is expecting to collect 127 more tonnes of dry waste every year and generate £395,000 in extra income.

Councillor Dave Taylor (Image: West Suffolk Council)

Mr Taylor added: “West Suffolk Council and its predecessor councils have a strong history of providing trade waste services to local businesses and organisations since the 1990s.

“Introducing these new services will enable the council to continue to provide trade waste and recycling collections locally and maintain a significant income stream which helps fund important council services.”

Back in September, West Suffolk Council was one of a number of local authorities in the county to propose a raft of changes to waste and recycling collection services to meet nationwide Simpler Recycling requirements by March 31, 2026.