A proposal to explore replacing private business waste collection with a single council-commissioned service has been struck down by Edinburgh councillors.
In January, Edinburgh’s Transport and Environment Committee asked council officers to explore re-introducing a council operated trade waste collection service.
On Thursday, at a meeting of the same committee, officers presented a report exploring the feasibility of a scheme, and said there was ‘limited scope’ to do so.
The council’s Green group put forward an addendum asking officers to explore whether a council-commissioned service could be launched to replace private collections.
Addressing councillors at the meeting, Green councillor Chas Booth said it would decrease the number of bin lorries on streets due to there being less fragmented service.
He continued: “You quite often find that there are numerous different commercial waste operators operating their vehicles in [town centres] at the same time.
“This contradicts our aim that we would have streets which are more friendly to pedestrians, and people walking, wheeling and cycling.
“We have discussed this with officers, as far as I understand it this is a scheme which effectively operates in those socialist strongholds of New York and Los Angeles.
“It works there, so let’s see if it can work here.”
Liberal Democrat councillor Kevin Lang replied: “I strongly suspect that we work to a different legislative framework than Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx.
“Could be wrong, but I’m pretty certain that my reading of legislation is, on that, correct.
“We don’t have the powers to do this. The act is very clear in allowing a multitude of licenced providers.”
He said he understood what the Green group was trying to achieve, but worried about the consequences of removing competition from the market.
Labour councillor and committee convener Stephen Jenkinson said he would not accept the Green addendum.
After the addendum failed, Green councillor for the City Centre ward, Claire Miller, said: “In the city centre we’ve got a real problem with lots of huge, noisy, polluting bin lorries all trying to pick up business waste in small streets.
“It can also be quite unsafe for folk walking, wheeling and cycling when there are so many HGVs.
“So I’m really disappointed the Green proposal to explore reducing the number of bin lorries was voted down by Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem councillors.
“This is a real missed opportunity to make our streets safer for everyone and I expect many of my constituents will be very disappointed this potential improvement has been blocked.”
By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
Like this:
Like Loading…
Related