Cory Environmental Municipal Services (CEMS) has been awarded a new seven-year contract with Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. The contract will commence Monday 29 September 2008. Cory Environmental has been operational in Southend since 1990, and the Borough has recently been rated in the top ten in the UK in a survey by the Government's Waste and Resources Action Programme for the wide range of recyclables collected at the kerbside.
The new enhanced contract will include a new food waste collection service which was successfully trialled last year, as well as on-going collection of dry recyclables, garden waste and residual waste. A new innovative tactile sack containment service has already been introduced for the visually impaired so that they can easily distinguish between the different sacks, and under the new contract CEMS will also work with local charities and third sector organisations to re-use items of furniture and household equipment.
An extensive stakeholder and communications programme will be rolled out as part of the new contract. This will focus on the Council’s drive to increase recycling rates within the borough and highlight issues around the management of waste. The target recycle rate at the end of the seven years will be 60%.
The cleansing service will be updated to focus on high profile areas such as the High Street and seafront and will use new mechanical sweepers for increased efficiency and flexibility. All new vehicles will be fitted with radio tracking devices to boost efficiency and allocation of resources.
CEMS will manage the Household Waste Reuse and Recycling Centres (HWRRCs) and recycling advisors will be on hand to offer advice to residents on recycling and provide information on how thy can minimise their residual waste. The centres will also accept mixed timber for composting.
Commenting on the new contract, Cory Environmental Municipal Services Director, Paul Redman said: “I am delighted that CEMS has won this prestigious new contract. It will enable us to build on our existing partnership with the Council, to provide even better services and improved recycling rates”.
