Budget Blog Focuses On Recycling And Disposal Of Waste
23rd October 2012
The latest topic for discussion on The Highland Council's budget consultation blog asks the public for ideas on the recycling and disposal of waste. The questions are posed by Councillor Dave Fallows, Chairman of the Council's Finance Resources and Housing Committee, who is encouraging comment on his budget blog on proposals to deliver Council services more efficiently and effectively.
The blog complements the Council's budget consultation exercise to identify major savings in 2013-14 and 2014-15. The Council has held 11 public meetings to date to discuss the proposals, with one final meeting to take place on Tuesday 30 October at Culloden Academy in Inverness.
In his blog, Councillor Fallows writes: "Landfilling waste will be more or less banned in Scotland by the end of 2020. We currently spend around £7.5 million per year in disposing of waste in landfill sites out-with the Highlands and the cost of waste disposal for each household in Highland continues to increase. Reducing the amount of waste produced by individuals and communities is the best way of reducing financial and environmental costs but recycling also helps. So I would like the public's views on what else you think communities can do to reduce the amount of waste produced and at the same time increase the level of recycling."
He added: "We also need to think about what we do with our waste in the future, so I would like to know whether the public would be supportive of introducing local waste treatment facilities which would see more waste treated within the Highlands."
Examples are:
Treatment facilities which remove recycling waste and turn the residual waste into fuel.
Treatment facilities which remove recyclable waste and use the residual waste to provide hot waste and electricity.
Treatment facilities which remove recyclable waste and then convert the residual waste into bio-fuels.
Councillor Fallows urged the public to comment on the ideas the Council has to balance the budget and give their views on how the Council might save money.
The budget consultation will run until Wednesday 31 October. The blog is prominently featured on the home page of the Council's web site: www.highland.gov.uk.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Members have considered an update on the Council's medium term financial plan and the impact of the UK and Scottish Governments’ budgets on the coming year’s funding settlement. The position is currently looking more positive than initially planned for, however more detail needs to be worked through.
In November, The Highland Council launched a public statutory consultation to seek views on the proposed introduction of a Visitor Levy scheme across the Highlands. The Council has announced an extension to this consultation period, which will now give businesses, visitors and communities until 31 March 2025, an additional seven weeks, to take part and have their say.
In the light of the financial forecast for 2025-26, Highland Council is inviting you to tell us more in the budget preparation for the coming financial year. The budget engagement builds on extensive budget participation which took place in the winter of 2023-24.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Every year Highland Council invites all tenants to have their say on the rent levels for the following year. The Council encourages everyone that lives in a council house to take this chance to have their say.
Communities and Place Committee met yesterday (Wednesday 27 November 2024) and Members agreed the Highland Local Child Poverty Action Report which includes actions for delivery in 2024/25. Reducing child poverty is a priority for the Council and its partners.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Members of the Highland Council's Community and Place Committee have given their support to an action plan focusing on the operating of public conveniences over the next 10 years. Whilst not a statutory function, the Council is the main provider of public conveniences located throughout Highland, operating 74 sites.
A report published on 27 November 2024 by LGIU (Local Government Information Unit) looks at the state of funding for councils by the Scottish Government. Confidence in the sustainability of council finances is critically low.
At today's (Wednesday 27 November 2024) Communities & Place Committee, Members agreed the most appropriate long-term strategic direction for residual waste management is to continue to utilise a merchant provider solution. Communities & Place Committee Chair, Cllr Graham MacKenzie said: "After careful consideration and analysis it has been agreed that a merchant provider solution is considered the most appropriate long term solution to our statutory waste management obligations, and that an energy-from- waste facility within the Highlands is not considered to be a suitable course of action.
