What goes around comes around ... Become a litter picker –and earn money!

LITTER PICKERS will be able to make about 20p per can or bottle from a new deposit scheme in England and Wales, according to an environment minister.

From 2025, bottles and cans will include a deposit, likely to be 20p, that can be reclaimed when containers are returned to reverse vending machines at designated sites, according to a recent government statement.

As one environment minister explained, “There will be an opportunity for people to go around collecting up litter and so forth, and taking it back, and receiving the deposit, which we think might benefit a range of charities and individuals.”

The scheme will include all polyethylene terephthalate plastic bottles and cans up to three litres in size, meaning households will have to take their rubbish to a recycling point instead of leaving them on the kerbside for collection.

Councils will be able to cash in on any bottles and cans left in the recycling by collecting the deposit. The exact amount of the deposit will be decided by a new quango that will run the scheme, which was first announced in 2017.

The scheme is expected to save local authorities around £35 million a year by reducing the amount of recycling they pick up. The UK uses 14 billion plastic drink bottles, and nine billion drink cans every year. The country already recycles around 70 per cent of these.

(Editor’s Note: Not such a new idea. I remember taking bottles back to the shop for a deposit many years ago ... )

IWANTTO START this month’s update by expressing my thanks to Matthew Lay for his service to the villages over many years. Although our politics differ somewhat, we have always had a collaborative and constructive working relationship; putting party politics aside in the interests of our residents. I wish Matthew well as he recharges his batteries after many years of service on the Parish and Borough Councils.

Budgets

AS OUTLINED in last month’s article the County Council is currently working through its budgeting process which looks set to be the toughest yet. I know from speaking with the four Parish Councils in my electoral area that they are reviewing their own precept rises.

In recent months there has been considerable instability on Markfield Parish Council with only one of the original councillors, elected at the last election (May 2019), still in post.

It is not for me to wade into the ‘differences’ that have caused this situation, but I do know that the Parish Council’s focus should be on refreshing the Neighbourhood Development Plan. Without this protection the village will be vulnerable to the “free for all” approach of developers as they seek to build on every piece of land available.

With fresh sets of Parish and Borough Council elections coming up I would strongly urge anyone who would like to serve their community to consider standing for Parish Council.

Local Planning Matters

IN DESFORD there is much concern about the outline proposals for 120 dwellings at Ashfield Farm, Kirkby Road, Desford. I understand that the Borough Council is unlikely to finalise its plan until 2024 which exposes villages to ever increasing speculative applications. Sadly this lack of an up to date Local Development Plan at Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council means that speculative applications such as this are likely to continue and indeed increase for some time to come.

As a County Councillor I have no direct powers over planning matters, however I have written to HBBC expressing my concerns about this latest application; particular since it is not one of Desford’s ‘preferred sites’, and will likely have highways safety implications in the village. Another reason why it is imperative that Markfield’s Neighbourhood Development Plan is refresh as soon as possible.