South Hams cancels private bin contract

Tory council brings collections in-house

Bin collections in South Hams are to be taken back into council control after the private firm employed to run them agreed to end its contract.  

Waste services in the district were outsourced to a company called FCC Environment April 2019 but have faced problems ever since, including missed collections and complaints that vehicles were too large for some areas.   

FCC had hoped to mirror a service it provides to West Devon Borough Council which has been in place for more than 10 years.  But the company has been beset with problems in South Hams resulting in uncollected rubbish and postponed garden waste collections.  

In a statement on Tuesday (12 July), council leader Cllr Judy Pearce (Cons, Salcombe and Thurlestone) said: "This morning the executive of South Hams District Council considered a report, with advice from the council's waste working group, advising that the authority and FCC Environment have reached mutual agreement to end their contract for waste, recycling, street and toilet cleaning services.

“Both parties agree that the past few years have presented a number of extremely challenging circumstances. 

“In the best interests of the residents of the South Hams, it is proposed that the services will be operated by the council from Monday 3 October 2022.

“We will work closely together to ensure a smooth transfer of the services, and keep you informed as we make progress.

“The executive are recommending that the council approves the proposals when it meets on Thursday 14 July.”

Some opposition members had been calling for FCC to be stripped of its contract for some time. 

In September last year councillors passed a motion to “consider exercising any available contractual rights in order to ensure that, going forwards” but rejected an amendment to take services back in-house if FCC failed to deliver its part of the contract. 

Despite efforts but South Hams council and FCC there has been little significant improvement in the service.

Lead member for waste services Cllr Keith Baldry (Lib Dem, Newton and Yealmpton) denied it was a victory for opposition members who didn't want to outsource waste services in the first place. 

“It's a victory for the residents of South Hams,” he said. “It's not a victory for anyone. This is not that sort of a fight. 

“We are trying to improve the service to our residents and that's what this is all about. 

“People have been calling for it to come back in house. Some of us didn't want it to be out stationed in the first place, but now we are working with FCC to make sure things get better when we take back the service.”

Cllr Pearce agreed with Cllr Baldry, insisting they are working to ensure the best service. 

“And I would absolutely endorse that,” she said. 

“I think we have seriously come to the conclusion that this is the only way forward and we are looking forward to it being a lot better for residents. That is the whole aim of this move.” 

Both FCC and the council have said the national shortage of HGV drivers contributed to the problems in running waste services. 

The company will work with the council until the contract ends to ensure as smooth a handover as possible.