Bristol Lib Dem Councillor Calls for Bin Collection Consultation to be Shelved
Bristol, 13th November 2024 — Cllr Tim Kent (Liberal Democrat, Hengrove and Whitchurch Park), a member of the Environmental and Sustainability Committee, has raised serious concerns about the proposed consultation on waste collection and recycling services in Bristol, urging that the process be halted in favour of a more collaborative approach.
In a letter to party leads on the cross-party committee, Cllr Kent criticised the consultation as being "premature" and lacking the necessary multi-party input and deliberation that the committee system was designed to facilitate.
At the centre of the consultation is the controversial proposal that Bristol City Council move bin collections to once every 3 or 4 weeks – up from the current 2-week collections. The change would come when the Council renews its contract with Bristol Waste, a company controlled by the Council that operates waste collection in the City.
There had been no prior discussion about the proposed consultation until it was presented to committee members last week on Thursday 7th November, leaving members out of the decision-making process. The consultation is due to launch on Monday 18th November.
"I believe this consultation is being rushed without adequate involvement from all parties, which is a fundamental issue. The committee, which should be driving forward discussion on the future of waste management in the city, has not had any substantive conversations on this issue", said Cllr Kent.
"The lack of engagement with the committee members, and the absence of a thorough cross-party working group, means we are now at risk of consulting on a policy change that is neither fully understood nor supported."
In his letter, Cllr Kent calls for a working group to be established to carefully explore the future of waste and recycling in Bristol, rather than pushing ahead with the current consultation. The proposal for less frequent waste collections is viewed by Cllr Kent as a fundamental change to service delivery that has been sprung upon committee members in a subversion of the collaborative principles of the committee system.
"The consultation as it stands is not representative of the collective views of the committee. We need a more measured and inclusive process, one that allows for meaningful debate, public input, and a better understanding of the options available," Cllr Kent added. "I believe that through genuine collaboration, we may ultimately arrive at a solution that works for Bristol, but that outcome can only be achieved if all voices are heard."
Cllr Tim Kent (Liberal Democrat, Hengrove and Whitchurch Park) is a member of Bristol City Council’s Environment and Sustainability Committee. The committee is Chaired by Cllr Martin Fodor (Green Party, Redland) and Vice-Chaired by Cllr Ellie King (Labour, Hillfields). Amongst other responsibilities, the committee is responsible for Bristol’s Waste and Recycling Strategy delivery.