Council halts bin collection privatisation plans - The Worcester Observer

Council halts bin collection privatisation plans

Worcester Editorial 23rd May, 2016 Updated: 19th Oct, 2016   0

CONTROVERSIAL proposals which could have handed control of Worcester’s bin and recycling collections to a private firm have been halted by the city’s new Labour administration.

The former Conservative leadership revealed plans last year to outsource bin collections, street cleaning, and parks and grounds maintenance across the city to private firms.

At the time, former council leader Coun Simon Geraghty vowed to take a ‘calm and measured’ approach to the move and hoped it would save the authority up to £500,000 a year.

More one hundred members of staff are currently employed in the Cleaner and Greener service area by Worcester City Council.




New council leader Coun Adrian Gregson has now instructed council officers not to carry out any further work on the proposals.

“Recent consultation has demonstrated just how much local residents value our Cleaner and Greener services,” he said,


“I have made a clear manifesto commitment not to pursue the privatisation of these services and council officers have therefore now been asked not to carry out any further procurement work to this end.”

The City Council’s budget contains a £400,000 saving attributed to outsourcing of Cleaner and Greener services, which will still need to be delivered to balance the budget.

The organisation will aim to achieve this by reviewing current working practices, and identifying ways in which they can be made more efficient.

Formal decisions on the future direction of Cleaner and Greener services are likely to be made at the City Council’s cabinet meeting on June 14.

Any decisions may be subject to consideration by the Scrutiny Committee.

Printing

We can provide all of your printing needs at competitive rates.

Reader Travel

Check out all of the latest reader travel offers to get your hands on some free gifts.

Subscribe

Receive a weekly update to your inbox by signing up to our weekly newsletter.

Public Notices

View and download all of the public notices in the Worcester Observer.