When we knock on doors in the ward an issue that comes up very frequently is recycling. People would like to be able to recycle more - both at the kerbside and on local high-streets and they are frustrated that the Labour-run Council has not kept pace with councils elsewhere on what can be recycled at home. We have led the campaign in Reading for glass and food waste recycling at the kerbside. Sadly the Waste PFI that Labour signed up to with a number of other councils restricts what RBC can recycle. Rather than accept the status quo we are keen to learn from other councils on what we can do in Reading to be be greener and to reduce our carbon footprint. The picture above shows members of our Lib Dem Group on a recent visit to Eastleigh Borough Council (which is controlled by the Lib Dems). Eastleigh BC won 'Beacon Council status a couple of years ago'for its action on climate change, including its exemplary record on recycling. Over in Eastleigh they make a profit on glass they recycle!
My ward colleague Glenn Goodall who is also Lib Dem Environment spokesperson has been campaigning since his election in 2008 to make it possible for residents to recycle their litter on high streets in Reading - something that is offered in London and many towns and cities. Glenn is pictured above with Cllr Louise Bloom - Lead Member for the Environment at Eastleigh BC who is an outstanding campaigner on all things environmental. Today we heard from RBC that following a successful pilot on Christchurch Road of 'on-street' litter recycling bins the Council will be introducing these bins to a number of other locations across the Borough. This is great news. Well done Glenn!
- New bins will be located in Kings Road opposite TVU also Lowfield Rd shops Caversham, Farnham Drive Precinct Caversham, Meadway Precinct (Asda) Tilehurst, The Triangle School Rd Tilehurst,Coronation Square in Southcote,Wensley Rd shops in Coley,Wokingham Rd shops,Whitley Wood Lane/Northumberland Ave shops in Whitley, Whitley Street shops in Katesgrove, Caversham Road,and Oxford Road/ Norcot Road
- These new recycling bins will be used for recycling cans, plastic and paper and each bin will have its own purposely designed and colour coordinated aperture to reduce the chances of contamination.
- Emptied on a weekly basis by RBC;s Refuse Collection Teams will ensure that the contents will be appropriately recycled and not sent to landfill.
- Installation will commence from Monday 14th March and is expected to be completed by the end of the month.
I have written to RBC Streetcare to request that we have a set of these bins located outside the Co Op on Erleigh Road as well.
More bottle banks in Redlands
The Council recently announced that more bottle banks are being installed across Reading which is also good news. Bottle banks in Redlands are relatively new additions to the ward and are something that my colleagues and I actively campaigned for.There will be a new bottle bank on Erleigh Road by Junction Road (behind the wall next to the electricity substation). We are in discussions with RBC officers to see if a bottle bank can be installed in the car park of the Upin Arms and on Craven Road in the RBH car park.
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