Waste scheme picks up without lorries

THE waste collection shake up planned for autumn will go ahead but there is a shortage of bin lorries.

Pembrokeshire County Council will be loaned a number of refuse vehicles by WRAP Cymru  – an organisation working with Welsh Government on waste reduction – corporate overview and scrutiny committee heard on Thursday, June 6.

Committee chairman Cllr Brian Hall said that he was told that the authority was going to be “eight or nine vehicles short” and asked if this would impact the roll out of increased recycling and three-weekly black bag collection in October.

Cabinet member for the environment, Cllr Cris Tomos, said that there had been meetings with WRAP, which had assisted the council in developing the new waste strategy, and a “certain amount of vehicles” will be provided as a temporary measure.

He added that the company providing the lorries “have had problems.”

A council spokesman added: “We are still on track to deliver our new waste and recycling scheme this autumn, which includes increased recycling options for householders and a move to three-weekly collections of general waste bags.

“We have been kept fully informed by the company contracted to provide our new recycling vehicles. There have been some changes to the delivery schedule to Pembrokeshire County Council, but we have a contingency in place in conjunction with WRAP and Welsh Government to ensure the service changes are implemented to households as planned in the Autumn.”