Great Yarmouth Borough Council continues work on food waste collection roll-out

Legislation was last year introduced to ensure greater consistency around what councils collect for recycling, to reduce public confusion and to increase the volume of what is recycled - with domestic food waste collections scheduled to begin in April 2026.

But while the council already achieves most of what the Government requires on recycling, the new rules for food waste are posing major challenges ahead of its introduction next year.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council has been allocated about £1,150,000 for capital spending to launch the work but says this leaves a shortfall of more than £400,000 in what is required.

It said the Government is also yet to clarify whether it will provide funding in future years to pay for ongoing costs - such as additional staff - associated with the scheme.

As a result, members will next week vote on whether to spend an additional £423,000 from the council's budget to cover the shortfall and make sure the work can start.

Councillor Paul Wells, Great Yarmouth Borough Council's portfolio holder for Environment and Sustainability, Licensing and Waste, said: ''We are enormously supportive of improved and better recycling. The more waste that can be recycled - including food waste - the better, for the environment and for sustainability.

''Consistency around what is collected across the country will also help the public and mean recycling rates can increase. Something we all want.

''However, the numbers simply don't add up. The Government funding model used to calculate grants to introduce food waste collections once again penalises Great Yarmouth.

''We face challenges - that many other local authorities don't have - around the number of flats and the type of housing we have in the borough. The model means we aren't being provided with the necessary finance to get the work started as quickly as we'd like and without using yet more money from our already hard-pressed budget.

''While we continue to press the Government for a fairer allocation and work out how best to deliver the service this means there will be a delay in food waste collections being introduced.''

To carry out the work, the council says it will need seven new vehicles to cover rounds and not only is the Government only offering funding for five, but each one is estimated to cost £30,000 more than has been allowed for.

Manufacturers have told the council the vehicles will not be available until late next year - after the Government wants the collections to begin. Vital work to upgrade Norfolk County Council's waste transfer station at Caister to enable it to handle the collections will also not be completed until late 2026.

A report for the council also shows a shortfall of almost £50,000 in the amount being provided for the containers necessary for households to store food waste.

Councillor Wells said: ''We are determined to introduce the collections as quickly as possible and see the significant benefits it will offer.

''But to attempt to do so without being able to use the Caister waste transfer station is simply not practical on top of the other challenges we face.

''We know there are many other councils in a similar situation and will continue to liaise closely with the Government to ensure we deliver the best service we can for residents.''