Council responds to Reform’s ‘bin snooping’ concern

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Powys County Council (PCC) will not be “snooping” on what residents put in their black bins, a senior councillor has confirmed.

Last month concerns were raised by Reform UK’s group leader Cllr Iain McIntosh that PCC could follow the lead of a neighbouring authority in South Wales and check that people were not putting rubbish in their black bins that could be recycled.

In October, it emerged that that staff from Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council have probed the contents of all 32,000 households there during the last eight years.

People found to be putting items that could be recycled in their black bin have been the subject of enforcement action which includes a fixed penalty notice of £100, and prosecution if it isn’t paid.

Cllr McIntosh (Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew) wanted to know if Powys would be following Blaenau Gwent’s lead and asked a number of questions to the cabinet member in charge of waste and recycling, Cllr Jackie Charlton.

Cllr Charlton had confirmed that, legally, Powys council has the powers to enforce the separation of materials by residents at the kerbside under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The council is looking to educate residents rather than punish them, explained Cllr Charlton.

She had gone on to say that analysis of black bin waste from 2022 which showed that 45% of the waste in black bins could have been recycled, and much of it was food waste.

She believed that if residents recycled food waste, they would also change their buying habits.

This prompted further questions from Cllr McIntosh on the issue to get more clarity.

Cllr McIntosh said: “While I appreciate the information provided about current procedures and the broader recycling strategy, my original query related specifically to whether PCC is engaging in, or intends to introduce, any form of systematic monitoring of individual household recycling behaviour.”

He also asked whether the council had fined anyone on this issue during the last three years.

Cllr Charlton (Llangattock and Llangynidr) answered: “There is no intention to snoop on any residents, we simply need to encourage everyone to take responsibility for the waste that they produce.

“Most residents are using the services we provide to recycle as much of their waste as they can, but unfortunately some don’t, and these are the people we need to reach which is why we have Awareness Raising Officers to help.

“We currently issue advisory letters to the occupier of the property as required.

“No fixed penalties or enforcement notices have been issued to residents for not correctly recycling at the kerbside.”