The Best Guide for the Neston Area

Councillor Blog - Louise Gittins - May 2012

This month, Louise talks about the new Waste Recycling Contract and other Environmental issues.

I have recently joined the Policy Development Board at the council for Communities and Environment. One of the areas we have been looking at is Sustainability, this is all about looking to the future and the potential impact
of climate change on our lives from housing to transport.

Included in this is the new waste recycling contract. If you're not aware of this then from August this year, our recycling is going to change. I asked our Labour group spokesperson for Communities and Environment, Cllr David Robinson, to explain more:

"The Labour government made big strides in dealing with our domestic waste - quantities have reduced and recycling is now over 50%. In early August recycling at home in Ellesmere Port and Neston will see another step change by tackling food waste, which worryingly comprises about 30% of what goes into our bins. 

"We want the new collection system to work well and will campaign to tackle waste by reducing packaging, increasing home composting, where it is possible, and making sure that residents get all the information they need."

I was a bit worried about food recycling, as are a number of people that I've spoken to, however I have been assured that this is not as messy as you may think.  So I guess it's something we will all have to get used to doing! The council will be holding information sessions in June, in the Neston area and providing new information leaflets.

I have thought of some other ways that we could look at environmental issues locally, including: working with the local primary schools to set up Junior Environment Clubs, where they are not already happening, and the feasibility of setting up ‘community composting', this combined with Community Orchards and expanding our local allotments, would work nicely alongside our local and new Incredible Edible project, run by CAN.

In April two successful litter picks were held in Neston and Little Neston: these saw the community coming together to tidy up the area and over 60 bagfulls of rubbish were collected. Thanks to the Town Council, Civic Society, Rotary Club, Streetscene, High School students, CAN and local families and individuals for making this happen. Also thanks to NC&YC for the hospitality and fantastic barbeque on the second day. Our next ‘pick' will be in the summer.

Dog mess is an ongoing issue, particularly in the Riverside and West Vale area: I was only speaking to some residents today about this very problem. I have asked the ‘dog mess' team if we can do some road shows in the area: hand out bags and leaflets to raise awareness. It's only a few dog owners that are forgetting to pick up the mess, but it does impact on us all. If you're short of bags then you can pick them up in the town hall and use the bins provided, any bin is ok, not just the dog ones.

Cllr Louise Gittins
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