Welcome to the summer eNewsletter from Oxfordshire Waste Partnership (OWP).
Our second annual report has just been published and we have news of some of the latest recycling and waste developments across the county.
Don't forget, to let us know if you've got any comments or ideas for future articles.
After a three month closure for major redevelopment, Oakley Wood Household Waste Recycling Centre at Crowmarsh, near Wallingford, was reopened to the public on Saturday 27th June. A ribbon/hazard tape cutting ceremony officially opened the site on 26th June with Oxfordshire County Council’s new Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure, Ian Hudspeth depositing the first item for recycling.
The £700,000 upgrade offers a much improved customer experience and aims to increase the impressive 58% on site recycling rate before the redevelopment. The new site has double the number of parking spaces and containers, improved access to reduce queuing, and clearer signage.
Councillor Hudspeth says: "This project has long been in the planning and it is a delight to see it come to a successful conclusion and re-opened to the public.”
"The customer experience is a very important element of encouraging people to recycle. It is one thing persuading people to take items to their waste recycling centre, it is quite another to provide them with a positive and hassle free enough experience to persuade them to return on a routine basis.”
"I believe the changes that we have made at Oakley Wood will deliver just such a positive customer experience"
With funding from OWP, Oxford City has just launched a new mixed recycling scheme for businesses. New vehicles can be seen on Oxford's streets collecting paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, cans and glass bottles and jars and spreading the 'It's cheaper to be green' message.
Find out more about the scheme.
A new fly-tipping campaign will launch at the end of August to try and tackle Illegal dumping The message will be spread via billboards, parish council packs, roadshows and adverts in the yellow pages: keep a look out!
Position/s held:
South Oxfordshire District Council's Cabinet Member for Commercial Services, and OWP representative.
What does this involve?
This is a post concerning all the services the council operates which were under Environmental Services. The principal part of the portfolio concerns waste and recycling, but also street cleaning, public toilets, car parking, grounds maintenance and flooding.
Why/how did you end up in this role?
In some ways this is a progression from my teaching career as before I was a headteacher I was Head of Environmental Science, so from science to service.
What makes you proud about what you do?
Helping to make a difference and achieving a reduction and diversion from landfill. Seeing a vast improvement in recycling from 43% to over 70% shows that together and with public support we can really make an improvement.
Pet-hate?
Chewing gum on pavements.
One thing you love about Oxfordshire?
Its diversity and cultural heritage.
What would you like to be remembered for
Trying!
How do you relax?
Paint when I have the time and visit the theatre and art galleries.
What would you do if you won the lottery?
Start to believe in Santa Claus!
Finally, give us your favourite green tip:
Wash and squash recycling to maximise the use of the containers.
Forget recycling levels, the top performing council will be decided on the rounders pitch!
Teams are required from each council to play the first OWP rounders tournament on Wednesday 26th August, 5pm in Kidlington.
To volunteer, contact your team captain:
Tournament results to be featured in the next eNewsletter!
OWP’s recently published annual report highlights the work done by Oxfordshire councils to take the county's recycling rate over 43% for the first time.
OWP chair Cllr John Tanner says: “A big thank you to everyone in Oxfordshire for recycling a record 43% of everything we throw away. Better still we are chucking out nearly 5% less than we did last year. It's a real privilege chairing OWP, which enables all the local councils to work together. We want to make our county one of the very best for recycling and minimising waste."
This autumn will see more hands on activities with live cooking events and demonstrations taking place across the county giving practical advice on how to reduce wasted food. Keep a look out on the OWP website for more details and if you’ve not made a pledge for a free recipe book, do it now!
Cherwell District Council has teamed up with Morrisons in Banbury.
As part of this drive, the council has used OWP funding to provide a new bright blue battery bin which takes pride of place outside the store entrance.
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Recycling messages are displayed throughout Morrisons encouraging shoppers to use the councils kerbside scheme to recycle their waste.
Cherwell’s portfolio holder for environment, recreation and health, Councillor George Reynolds, said: "I hope this is the beginning of a successful partnership."
Three brothers have put in more than a hundred years of service to Cherwell with the oldest topping the forty-year mark.
David, Peter and Derek Tingey - aged 62, 60 and 57 respectively - have worked as refuse collectors for a total of 109 years.
Read the Tingey brothers' story.
Don't forget to forward this eNewsletter on to colleagues and if you really must print it out: MAKE IT DOUBLE-SIDED!
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