Council says plans for Fort William waste transfer site on track for 2024 date

Highland Council says it is working to secure a ground lease for a waste transfer development site in Fort William so a facility is in place and operational by late summer/early autumn 2024.

 

The information came during a meeting last week of the local authority's Communities and Place Committee, when councillors welcomed an update on the local authority’s management of waste in the region.

 

Committee chairman Councillor Graham MacKenzie said a huge amount of 'great work' had been achieved and was ongoing to ensure the council met its waste management obligations.

 

'I would like to thank all the staff for their hard work and innovative approaches to ensuring that Highland improves its future recycling,' he added.

 

A report to the committee highlighted that construction of three new waste transfer stations are complete or under way: at Aviemore and Inverness, with the works to secure site for Fort William also mentioned.

 

Members were also informed that Recycling Improvement Funding secured by the council has enabled the expansion of its garden waste collection service and that digital technologies are supporting changes in service delivery by improving ‘route optimisation’.

 

The council collects waste and other recyclable materials from around 119,000 domestic premises and operates one of the largest business waste collection services of any local authority in Scotland, providing a service to around 6,000 customers across the region.

 

The street cleanliness score of 95 per cent for Highland Council area in 2022/21 was 4.9 per cent higher than the Scottish average of 90.1 per cent.

 

When asked, ‘How satisfied are residents with local refuse collection?’ - 87.8 per cent of Highland residents indicated they were satisfied during 2020/21, placing Highland second highest of the 32 Scottish local authorities (and 13.5 per cent above the Scottish average satisfaction rate of 74.3 per cent).

 

Members were then updated on the non-statutory garden waste service for which the council charges customers.

 

In autumn this year, councillors were informed that a kerbside sampling exercise of waste presented by householders (in green, blue, brown and grey food caddy bins) will be carried out.

 

A ‘waste composition analysis’ will be conducted in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland from 250 households. Findings from the survey will help inform the council on the best way to improve services and increase recycling in the region.

 

The award of a major residual waste contract this year that will enable the council to achieve legal compliance with the landfill ban ahead of schedule was also highlighted to members.