THE switchover from blue bags to wheelie bins has moved a step closer following a procurement decision made by Wokingham Borough Council.
At a meeting of the ruling executive, held on Thursday, June 29, councillors voted to approve an open tender process.
The contractor would be responsible for buying and distributing wheelie bins to borough homes ready to start collections from next summer.
Cllr Ian Shenton, the executive member for environment and leisure, said: “One of the reasons is not many councils are not ordering wheeled bins right now. They could well do in the not-too distant future when the government decides how many waste streams it wants councils to collect from the kerbside.”
The report supplied to councillors notes that any delay to the decision could cost the council between £35,000 and £70,000 as the price of plastic is rising, and could go higher still if there is an increase in demand from the government’s new waste collection rules, which is expected to include soft plastic recycling and glass.
In March, the executive approved expenditure of £1.5 million for the bins purchase. This will come from the council’s waste equalisations fund, and be repaid at a rate of £150,000 per year over 13 years, to a total amount of £19.5 million.
The bins are expected to cost £18 per household, and £4 per delivery, and will be sent to homes from May next year.
When the new scheme is in place, it is expected to save £500,000 in the first year, rising to between £1.05m and £1.5m each year thereafter.
