On Thursday evening, Shropshire Council’s Economy and Environment Overview and Scrutiny committee met to discuss introducing weekly food waste collection from 31 March, as mandated by the government. The council does not have enough money to introduce the service. Instead of providing extra support to the council for its increased costs, the government has axed millions from our budget. Asked to guide the council on the way forward, after two hours of discussion the scrutiny committee failed to agree on a recommendation.
At the end of 2024, the government issued new rules for collecting waste and recycling. From April 2026, each household will have four collection bins or bags:
- residual (non-recyclable) waste
- food waste (mixed with garden waste if appropriate)
- paper and card
- all other dry recyclable materials (plastic, metal and glass).
This is welcome in principle but there is little prospect of introducing food waste collection for an end of March 2026 start in Shropshire.
There are two problems. The biggest is money. When the government imposes new duties on councils, it is required to provide new burdens funding. Ministers have provided capital new burdens funding of £3.6m for the purchase of vehicles and bins, along with some transitional funding for delivery, communication and project management. But there is still a capital shortfall with no money for transfer stations and other resources needed to implement the scheme.
When it comes to funding for operating costs, the government has simply said the money is included in the council’s block grant. That’s a grant the government is cutting by £16m this year. There is no money available for food waste collection. Several other councils have also complained that there is no money to operate the new service.
The second problem is securing delivery of new vehicles and bins. Food waste is currently collected by around half the councils in England. The others are rushing to get equipment in place in time. There is around a year delay in delivery of new vehicles.
Because of these difficulties, more than thirty councils have already received government permission to delay the introduction of weekly food waste collection, the latest request being from Cheshire East.
No councils have received permission not to introduce the service.
The overview and scrutiny committee was given three options:
- Do nothing. This would be in breach of the mandatory statutory duty to collect food waste weekly, which could result in a judicial review or fines.
- Collect food waste every fortnight from all households, alongside green waste for those that subscribe. This is the lowest cost option but it would still breach the statutory duty for weekly collection.
- Weekly collection. Week 1 would be food waste mixed with green waste. Week 2 would be food waste only. This would cost £15.2m over three years – a bill the government is not going to meet and Shropshire Council can’t possibly afford.
Sharon Ritchie-Simmons (Reform UK, Highley) proposed Option 1, do nothing. Sam Walmlesley (Lib Dem, Clun) proposed Option 2, fortnightly collection. Each proposal received four votes so no recommendation was agreed.
The overview and scrutiny committee not only failed to reach a conclusion, it failed to agree what advice and guidance it would give to cabinet. I am sure the chair will give a verbal briefing to cabinet when it meets to consider the issue.
This is an unsatisfactory and dangerous situation for Shropshire Council. It is tied by the government insistence that food waste collection is weekly. It has a £34m a year PFI contract for waste and recycling collection with Veolia which has eight years to run. This reduces flexibility and opportunities for cost reduction.
Discussions are continuing with the government on how to introduce food waste collection. Collecting food waste is essential but I don’t know where we are going on this one. Weekly collection is a statutory requirement under the Environment Act 2021 and there is no flexibility on collection frequency.
Image is AI generated (I don’t have that much food waste!).