Service changes agreed for new waste contract

North Herts and East Herts Council are currently undertaking a highly competitive and robust procurement process to award their joint waste contract, due to commence in May 2025.

The councils are working closely with a number of bidders to secure a deal that helps the council absorb the impacts of unprecedented levels of inflation, whilst also protecting the council’s other vital services.

Initial tenders suggested that the new contract could be significantly more than the anticipated budget, with potential repercussions for other vital services. Some changes to the proposals have therefore been made to ensure the council can deliver a first-rate waste collection and street cleansing service, whilst continuing to provide all the other services residents value.

A number of changes to help mitigate the rising costs have been agreed by North Herts Council’s Cabinet (12 December).

Changes will largely improve operational efficiencies and were agreed by Cabinet after council officers presented a variety of options to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee last month (5 November). 

Changes include:

• Three weekly collection of mixed paper and cardboard in a new bin for most residents, and three weekly collection of the remaining mixed dry recycling – glass, plastic and cans, with the addition of plastic bags and wrapping (food will continue to be collected every week) 
• Reducing approximately 30% of litter bins from across the district, ensuring that the location of bins is based on need
• Increasing response times for non-urgent, non-scheduled work like additional street cleansing and bin deliveries
• Reducing the number of items collected as part of a bulky waste collection from six to three, to maximise operational efficiency

East Herts Council’s Cabinet will vote on these changes on 21 December.

Cllr Amy Allen, North Herts Council’s Executive Member for Recycling & Waste, said: “This contract has a huge impact on the council’s finances, as well as significantly impacting the council’s ability to achieve its carbon reduction and sustainability aims. Officers have worked with members across all political parties and with our partners at East Herts to help redesign services which meet both our financial and environmental sustainability objectives. The changes agreed are essential in order for the contract to be affordable for the council and give value for money for residents.

“With inflation skyrocketing, and rising service demand across council services, we really don’t have unlimited resources, and like so many local authorities are potentially facing some difficult decisions. But these changes to the waste contract should allow us to deliver an efficient and effective service while keeping costs down.”

Cllr Tom Tyson, North Herts Council’s Deputy Executive Member for Recycling & Waste, added: “We are extremely proud of the waste and street cleansing service we deliver, and the new contract is an opportunity for us to make it even more efficient, providing value for money and supporting our environmental aims. We’re sure residents will continue to support the service by ‘recycling right’ and taking litter home. We will await the results of East Herts Cabinet meeting on 21 December before we progress with the planning and mobilisation of any change.”

For more information you can read the report or watch the meeting on our website: Agenda for Cabinet on Tuesday, 12th December, 2023, 7.30 pm | North Herts Council (north-herts.gov.uk)