From our District Councillor
POLICY AND RESOURCES committee conclude its deliberations on the councils
budget this week. It is recommended that council, on the 23rd February,
increase its share of the council tax by 2.5% from April. After taking account
of the likely increases from the county council, Fire and Police Authorities
and the parish council, I expect that bills in the district will rise by an
average 4.8% next year. Subject to councils approval, the proposed budget would
provide significant additional resources for recycling, developing and local
planning framework for the district, improving the way citizens can contact and
deal with council providing free concessionary fares for the over 60s within
the district. Additional resources have also been targeted at meetings the
needs of the homeless, providing additional funding for Police and Community
Support Officers in partnership with parish councils and support for voluntary
organizations including the two community transport groups operating within the
District. In addition to the increase in council tax, these additions to the
budget will be funded through additional government grant and a package of
efficiency savings of over £300,000.
Community services committee has formally approved the Economic Development Strategy. The strategy sets out the key economic issues and priorities for the district over the next five years. The new program will commence in April 2006 and places a greater emphasis on marketing the district as business location, encouraging the development of key employment allocations. The completion of the strategy represents another key step towards the Councils Breakthrough to Excellence Program.
A small number of "objections on principle" to the trial of alternate week collection of refuse and recycling in Witchford continue to be received, but the vast majority of residents have reacted very positively to the change. Recycling through the black box system has increased. The organic waste bags, (which are now used for kitchen waste every other week) are producing 4-5 tonnes of compostible waste at every collection despite the fact that little gardening activity is likely to be taking place at present. Better still, the average weekly tonnage of 11.25 tonnes of residual waste, prior to the trial, has been reduced to about 8.5 tonnes over the 6 collections since 4th November. The need, we recognized, for residents to "manage" their waste under the alternate week system seems to suggest that a welcome element of waste minimizing is being practised, since the residual waste taken to the Gunty Fen site has also dropped. Next stop Woodditton!!
Cambridgeshire County Council has been working closely with the District and City Councils in bringing innovative curb side recycling facilities. Household Waste
Recycling centres across Cambridgeshire have also brought in new facilities such recycling batteries, wood and mobile phones.
All these high-quality facilities and schemes have been welcomed by residents and since April, an amazing 45% of the waste is recycled in Cambridgeshire. More than 86,000 tonnes of waste have been given a second chance - that's equivalent to the weight of around 71,600 family cars!
At present on a national level we produce enough rubbish every hour to fill the Royal Albert Hall.
The Government has set a target for 2021 of 25% land fill, 25% incineration, and 50% recycled. So we still have a way to go. But it is just part of an environment issue that will be of greater importance in the years ahead. We must not fail our children's and grand children's generations.