ACS

26 August 2010

Brecon MP Roger Williams is to ask Powys County Council to do more to help businesses with recycling waste after meeting with local retailer Carol Skinner at Londis, Senny Bridge.

Carol Skinner, who owns and runs Glanusk Services as part of the Londis group, explained that the cost of recycling was too costly and burdensome. Mrs Skinner said: “The council won’t take responsibility for commercial recycling so businesses are left to pay for a license and have to dispose of the recycling themselves. I want to play my part in cutting down waste, but for small businesses like me there is no support.”

Businesses are excluded from Council recycling schemes that focus only on households. This means that waste recycling is a significant burden on local shops and forecourts, in addition to having to find the resource and transport for recyclable waste the business has to obtain a permit, paying a £100 licence fee to be able to do so. The recycling charge is part of a host of rising costs for Mrs Skinner which include a £4,000 increase in her rateable value as a result of the 2010 revaluation.
Roger Williams MP said: “It’s surprising that we put so much resource behind encouraging people to recycle and yet businesses have to incur further costs and pressure on their time to help the environment. It’s also unfortunate that petrol stations have seen such large increases in rates with little return in added services from local councils.”

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “It is important that MPs have the opportunity to talk to retailers so that their soaring costs are not ignored. This visit shows the value of engaging with local politicians who can really make a difference to businesses and communities. ”

Mr Williams will be writing to Council officials to discuss the fairness of the recycling license for businesses, as well as calling for more information on the range of charges that retailers have to pay in addition to their business rates.