Residents are being invited to help shape the future of waste and recycling collections in Westmorland and Furness.
A ‘Community Conversation’ has been launched by Westmorland and Furness Council to gather people’s thoughts on current services in their area – what they like, what they would like to change and what they’d like to see in the future.
Council officers recently briefed councillors on the need to harmonise waste services across the district that currently see some areas charged for garden waste collections and other areas that have a community skip for garden waste. Planning for kerbside collection of food waste is also underway by the council and the replacement of the blue bin bags in the Penrith and Eden area with Wheelie bins is being looked at by the council.
The council have said “feedback received will help inform the council’s emerging options for creating consistent waste and recycling services across the whole of Westmorland and Furness.”
The options will be considered early next year by the council to help form a vision for a revised service that will be completed by mid-2025.
Residents can expect to see the first changes being implemented from late 2025, with the majority of service changes in place by the end of 2027.
Councillor Giles Archibald, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate, Biodiversity and Environmental Services, said: “Our aim is to reduce waste, increase recycling, and provide services for our residents that are consistent across the whole of the Westmorland and Furness area. We also want to make it easier and more convenient for people to recycle and minimise their waste.
“We want to involve our communities in helping us to plan what future services will look like, and have today launched our Community Conversation on waste and recycling collections.
“This includes a survey that residents can complete to tell us what they think about current services in their area, how they use those services and what they’d like to see in the future.
“We will also be holding some in-person events, where people can come along to learn more about what we are looking to achieve, ask questions and take part in workshops. We will be holding these events in each of the former district areas and there will also be an on-line event for anyone unable to attend the in-person sessions.
“The feedback from these events and the online survey will provide us with valuable information that will help us to develop our vision for consistent waste and recycling services, so every household is receiving the same level of service wherever they are in Westmorland and Furness. We want to see services that are better performing, more efficient and that make it easier for people to recycle more and waste less.’’
Currently, Westmorland and Furness Council delivers 7.5 million collections annually to 115,000 households in one of the largest and most rural unitary local authority areas in the country, covering a geographic area of 3,750 square kilometres.
Councillor Archibald continued: “It’s vitally important to us that we reflect the views of our communities when we are planning the future of such important services that affect every household in Westmorland and Furness. I would encourage as many people as possible to complete our survey or attend one of the in-person events to share your views.’’
To be part of the Community Conversation on the future of waste and recycling services in Westmorland and Furness, you can share your thoughts on current services in your area by completing the survey at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/WFwastesurvey
The survey will close on 20 December 2024.
Paper copies of the survey will be available in the receptions at Voreda House, as well as at Penrith library.
In-person events where you can learn more about the waste and recycling harmonisation programme and the council’s ambitions, share your thoughts and take part in workshops on recycling and waste minimisation, will take place on the following dates:
• Tuesday, 26 November 2024, Penrith Library, 6pm – 7.30pm
• Wednesday, 27 November 2024, The Forum, Barrow, 6pm – 7.30pm
• Thursday, 28 November 2024, Kendal Town Hall, 6pm – 7.30pm
• Monday, 2 December 2024, Online event, 6pm-7pm
To register for these events (including for the online event on 2 December) book your place at: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/eventlist/wfcevents
If registering for the online event, a link to the meeting will be emailed to you in advance of 2 December.