Calderdale Council urged to get a grip of collections as residents play recycling ‘hokey cokey’

Collections have become so erratic in Calderdale people are becoming angry at putting recycling out only to have to bring it back in again, said Coun Jacob Cook (Con, Greetland and Stainland).

Coun Paul Bellenger (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) also called for action at the full Calderdale Council meeting, saying residents were being asked to play “recycling hokey cokey”.

Coun Cook, referring to the contract-holding company, said the situation amounted to “a Suez crisis”.

The council has said issues including shortage of HGV drivers and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have affected services.

Coun Cook said it was a highly visible service people saw as a part of their Council Tax payment and problems with it upset them.

“It has become a crisis, we can’t hide our head in the sand and pretend it isn’t happening more,” he said.

Coun Cook said recycling collections were erratic yet the council’s line was that it would not change soon and despite issues cited neighbouring Kirklees consistently collected recycling.

He wondered if the council could flex its muscles over the contract.

“The message we are currently getting is put your rubbish out and if it is not collected bring it back in again – that is causing a lot of anger,” said Coun Cook.

Coun Bellenger asked if the council could recoup money paid to Suez for drivers which were not there.

Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park) said earlier in the pandemic the Government had explicitly forbidden public services imposing penalties on contractors although in theory they could now “flex their muscles”.

But she said: “I don’t think macho management is necessarily the answer here.”

It had been a strategic choice at the start of the pandemic to prioritise waste collections, which had operated well, over recycling, said Coun Lynn.

The HGV driver issue was not an excuse it was a national crisis, she said.

Four loaders were being trained up to be drivers to start in the New Year, and the council was thinking about changes it might want to see in the contract when up for renewal in two years, said Coun Lynn.

Suez was having to use the driver money referred to in order to procure relief drivers so there was not necessarily a saving, she said.

Coun Lynn said Coun Bellenger had a point regarding looking again at moves to stop delivering the annual recycling date leaflet.

He had said people without internet relied on the leaflet and it could, for example, contain warnings about fly-tipping.

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