Bin collections and street cleaning services across West Northamptonshire could be run by the council rather than contractors in bid to provide more 'flexibility'

West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) cabinet is set to consider a recommendation for waste collections and street cleansing services to be brought in-house from 2028, as the three former districts currently have different arrangements.

If approved, these services would be delivered by a team directly employed by the council rather than through a third party contractor, following a full review of how waste and recycling services are delivered.

The council hopes it will have more direct control over how the services are run and greater transparency over the cost of delivering them, if it was to manage the services itself. A spokesman also said it would create an opportunity for a single approach and make the service “as efficient as possible”.

The Government’s national ‘Simpler Recycling’ programme, along with the introduction of a deposit return scheme, will also be brought to the area in the coming years. The council says it would have more freedom to adapt to these changes, if the services were delivered directly.

Councillor Nigel Stansfield, Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Waste, said: “Bringing these services in house would give the council the flexibility to manage an essential public service in a period of national change.

“We do not underestimate the scale of the challenge in bringing these very visible services under direct council control. Waste crews do an important and demanding job, whatever organisation they work for.

“If this proposal is agreed, we will make the transition as smooth as possible for staff transferring to the council and for residents who rely on the service they provide.

“Our aim is to build a single waste and recycling service for West Northamptonshire that can adapt, improve and meet the needs of our communities.”

The council thanked Veolia and Norse for their work over the last eight years and said it looks forward to continuing to work “constructively” with them during the remaining two years of the contract.

The proposal will be discussed at the council’s cabinet meeting on Tuesday May 5. A recommendation to move general waste wheelie bin collections to once every three weeks will also be discussed.