Recyclable waste that had been carefully sorted by Bradley Stoke residents for South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) regular weekly kerbside recycling collection has ended up in the residual waste (black bin) processing chain, the Journal can reveal.

The news came to light after two readers contacted us to say they had seen their sorted recyclable waste all thrown into the back of a regular ‘black bin’ refuse vehicle during a Saturday morning ‘catch-up’ collection following a missed recycling collection the previous day.

One resident, in Juniper Way, told us:

“Yesterday our recycling was not collected as usual. This morning, however, I have just witnessed our recycling being taken away and I am shocked at what I saw. All the recycling was loaded into a white waste truck. Everything was put in together, nothing was separated. That will now end up at a landfill. All that sorting of recycling for nothing! The council should be ashamed of themselves.”

More generally, social media channels have also regularly been receiving complaints about missed recycling collections across the Bradley Stoke, Stoke Gifford and Filton areas.

In response to a request for a statement about recycling collections being missed on a frequent basis and the specific claims of sorted recyclables being mixed together on this one recent occasion (21st April), the following response was provided to the Journal, attributed to Cllr Heather Goddard, the South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet member responsible for communities:

“We are very sorry for any disruption and are working closely with our contractor, SUEZ to review the collection rounds to make sure that recycling is collected on the scheduled day.”

“Residents are advised to report any missed collections to the council via the website or contact centre. SUEZ will return to collect missed items within two working days.”

More: Council blames contractor and says it was an isolated incident »

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More than a dozen new homes could be built on a vacant plot of land bordering Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre after South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) received a £200,000 grant from the government’s Land Release Fund (LRF).

The 0.357 hectares (0.88 acres) plot, opposite the Tesco petrol filling station and bordering properties in Hornbeam Close, was previously allocated in SGC’s Local Plan to accommodate a health centre, but the authorities later decided that there was no longer a requirement for this purpose, in view of the planned expansion of existing doctors’ surgeries in the area.

In November 2006, the council made a decision to dispose of the site and it was subsequently placed on the market, albeit still as a “health care opportunity”.

Later, in July 2013, local ward councillor Brian Hopkinson put forward the idea of using the land for a self-build scheme, saying that if it wasn’t needed for health purposes, “It should be used to benefit our town in other ways.”

The adoption of the SGC’s Policies, Sites and Places Plan in November 2017 finally saw the ‘healthcare’ allocation removed, paving the way for alternative uses to be seriously considered.

Speaking about the successful bid for central government money, Cllr Colin Hunt, SGC Cabinet member for planning, transportation and the strategic environment, commented:

“LRF funding is designed to help bring housing projects forward to make new use of council-owned land. The funding could, for example, be used to help bring infrastructure and services to the site, but we are looking at a range of options. We are particularly keen to provide space for self-build housing projects, and this may involve us working with a registered provider of affordable housing.”

More: Council estimates that "around 13 homes" could be built »

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South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) element of the council tax levied on local residents is to increase by 5.99 percent from April, meaning it will have risen by almost 11 percent in just two years.

Meeting on 14th February, councillors agreed to set a revenue budget of £215.9 million, with the increase in the council-controlled element of council tax being made up of a 2.99 percent general increase plus a further 3 percent, which is the Adult Social Care Levy. The approximately £9.7 million raised through this levy will be spent exclusively on services supporting the most vulnerable adults in the community. The council says that this only partially covers the additional costs arising in social care from increasing demand and market prices.

The budget papers show that while the council’s finances are projected to remain in balance for the coming three years, this is only by using reserves set aside for this purpose and delivering additional savings. The council concedes that challenges remain in the medium term, caused by falling government grants and increased costs and demand for services.

Public consultation carried out by the council prior to the budget-setting process showed that 54 percent of respondents were in favour of a council tax rise for 2018/19 of 3.99 or 4.99 percent (inclusive of the Adult Social Care Levy), although none of the presented options were as high as the 5.99 percent finally decided upon.

Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, Matthew Riddle, said:

“I am determined, for the sake of frontline services, to move forward with a balanced budget. In doing so, we are prioritising our most vulnerable residents with significant increases in funding for services for vulnerable adults and children.”

“These are challenging times, but I believe we have and will continue to meet the challenges before us. The plans approved today will mean that the everyday services we all rely upon will continue to be delivered and we have also made some additional commitments to support schools, care leavers and those looking for a home.”

More: Opposition parties criticise lack of detail about future cuts »

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South Gloucestershire Council’s new Local Plan Consultation Document considers how it can deliver the new homes and jobs that are needed, along with the infrastructure, services and facilities to support sustainable growth in our area up to 2036.

It is holding drop-in sessions, where you will be able to talk to officers, learn more and comment on the local plan. The two closest sessions to our area are:

• Friday 9th March, 6pm to 8pm, at Coniston Community Centre, Patchway BS34 5LP
• Thursday 15th March, 4.30pm to 6.45pm, at the St Michael’s Centre, Stoke Gifford BS34 8PD

Full details of the consultation can be viewed at www.southglos.gov.uk/newlocalplanfeb2018, in the One Stop Shops and in libraries.

A council spokesperson said: “We particularly want to hear your views about Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, the former Filton Airfield, Harry Stoke and Stoke Gifford, and how we can:

• Create new high quality, mixed use urban environments, to provide more homes and employment opportunities
• Establish stronger neighbourhoods and district centres
• Enhance walking, cycling and public transport provisions
• Build on the existing economic strengths.

Watch our short video that explains the new South Gloucestershire Local Plan: https://vimeo.com/256044518”

Image: Extract from Part 2 of the plan – “Urban Localities – Opportunities and Challenges”

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