Senior councillors will look into ways to boost Caerphilly County Borough Council’s recycling rate.
The council’s cabinet will consider a report, put together by council officers, outlining how the authority can improve recycling rates in the borough.
The Welsh Government currently requires councils to recycle 64% of waste, a figure that will rise to 70% next year. Councils that fail to hit this target could be slapped with a £2 million fine each year.
Cabinet members will consider introducing an education and engagement plan, which would include letters and home visits to those not recycling correctly – and even legal notices against repeat offenders.
What is Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet?
A council’s cabinet is made up of councillors in charge of different policy areas – such as education, environment, local economy, etc – and a leader.
It is separate to the council’s corporate management structure, which is headed up by its chief executive and various directors. Cabinet is made up of councillors, who are elected and have the ultimate say.
Typically, cabinet members are councillors from the party with the most elected council members.
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet is made up of:
- Cllr Sean Morgan (Nelson) – Leader
- Cllr Jamie Pritchard (Morgan Jones) – Deputy Leader; Prosperity, Regeneration and Climate Change
- Cllr Nigel George (Risca East) – Corporate Services and Property
- Cllr Eluned Stenner (New Tredegar) – Finance and Performance
- Cllr Carol Andrews (Gilfach) – Education and Communities
- Cllr Shayne Cook (Morgan Jones) – Housing
- Cllr Elaine Forehead (Van) – Social Care
- Cllr Philippa Leonard (Risca East) – Planning and Public Protection
- Cllr Chris Morgan (Machen and Rudry) – Waste, Leisure and Green Spaces
Corporate management is made up of unelected employees of the council and has responsibility for day-to-day management of services, such as making sure the bins are collected. Corporate directors work with cabinet members to come up with policy which is then agreed upon by the cabinet.
Last updated October 13, 2023
Currently, the council collects dry recycling from brown wheelie bins. However, the council said inappropriate waste put into the these bins can risk the whole load of recycling being “contaminated”.
Cllr Chris Morgan, council cabinet member with responsibility for waste, said: “Caerphilly County Borough, like the rest of the world, is facing a global climate crisis – so we all need to do more to lead cleaner, greener lifestyles and it is clear that recycling is a key element in this collective effort.
“Whilst we appreciate that most of our residents are already working with us to recycle correctly every week, there is a small minority who use the design of our brown wheeled bin to knowingly dispose of non-recyclable materials.
“This aim of this new process is to ensure that the work of those residents who are consistently doing the right thing does not go to waste.”
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