Trade waste service will not be scrapped after U-turn

Prices for trade waste collections to 1,500 businesses will rise by 46% from April, after councillors made a U-turn to scrap them.

On Monday, North Devon Council's strategy and resources committee reconsidered its decision to scrap the service following a council meeting in January - triggered by a petition of 1,600 names.

The service, which has been running for two decades, had been making a loss for years - and this was set rise to a £200,000 loss next year due to the replacement of a recycling vehicle.

The council said while it would continue to offer trade waste collections following the U-turn, it would no longer provide a trade recycling service, which is set to end on 31 March.

North Devon Council (NDC) said the decision reflected differing costs, operational requirements and future regulatory changes associated with each service.

Council leader David Clayton admitted making mistakes after the committee's initial decision had been based on a consultation of only 20 businesses.

"I admit I have made mistakes and have learned from this. We will reintroduce trade waste but it will necessitate a big increase to cover all the costs," he said.

"We will not let a single penny of council taxpayers money subsidise this. If the service loses money it goes."

Businesses said they would be willing to pay more as they considered it an "excellent" service, but had not been given an option by the council when they received letters in the post saying it would end in April.

Councillor Peter Jones who had pressed for the issue to be reconsidered said he was pleased the waste refuse service would continue "albeit with higher fees".

The council said it would continue to collect from some businesses, known as schedule two businesses, which pay for both trade refuse and recycling collected on domestic rounds.

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