Multi-bin waste plan stalled as costs soar

Councillors have pledged to look into the new kerbside recycling scheme, which went £435,000 over budget last year in the pilot area of Wigtownshire.
And council leader Ronnie Nicholson says there needs to be changes made before it goes regionwide.
He said: “You expect some teething troubles when a new, radical approach is taken and that can add to costs but not to this level.”
The issue was discussed by members of the economy, environment and infrastructure committee on Monday.
They agreed an action plan to reduce the budget overspend and move forward with the scheme, which will see householders getting three bins each.
However, Mr Nicholson warned he won’t let it happen until all options have been looked at, including changing the plan.
He said: “I am pleased councillors backed the action plan to overhaul the current scheme and bring it back into budget and if that means changes to the scheme so be it.
“But that doesn’t go far enough yet. This administration will not make the same mistake as the previous one by supporting the roll out of the current scheme to other areas unless better financial controls are put in place.”
The leader warned about further Scottish Government changes through a new ‘Charter for Household Recycling in Scotland’, which he believes could lead to even more ‘draconian rules’.
Councillor Nicholson added: “More changes are coming such as a ban on any side waste in bags beside wheelie bins and possibly even instructing councils not to collect wheelie bins if it contains any recyclable materials.
“We need to ensure the implications of those central dictats by the SNP Government are taken into account before we extend any recycling scheme to other parts of Dumfries and Galloway.”
Meanwhile, SNP councillor Iain Dick, who had called for a root and branch review, said: “It is crucial that lessons are learned from this whole experience and that we have a waste collection service which best serves the public and meets our obligations.”