The Sittingbourne-based waste management company was awarded the contract following a “detailed procurement exercise” and will take over from outsourcing giants Serco from 4 October.
Under the contract, Countrystyle will collect general waste, food waste and recycling from around 99,000 properties.
The waste management company will deliver the material either directly to Cory Riverside’s Belvedere energy from waste (EfW) plant or to the council’s Thames Road waste transfer station, which is already operated by Countrystyle.
Chris Howard, managing director at Countrystyle Recycling, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working even more closely with the London Borough of Bexley to help them continue to be the top London borough for recycling and to improve services for their residents, just as we did when we took over the refuse and recycling centres contract in 2018.
“Securing our first domestic waste collection contract is a quantum leap forward for Countrystyle Recycling, but reflects our wider strength in logistics, an understanding of our heartland and the work we have put in for a number of years to understand the council’s desires and ambitions for its residents.”
As a contract requirement, the council stipulated that all staff should receive the London Living Wage as a minimum. Staff on the Serco contract will transfer to Countrystyle.
Strike action
Bexley first awarded Serco a 10-year collections contract worth £160 million in November 2009 (see letsrecycle.com story).
In recent years, the contract has been beset with issues including delayed and missed collections. This has been exacerbated by a breakdown in the relationship between Serco and workers who belong to the Unite union.
Around 140 workers who are members of Unite most recently began striking over pay and other issues on 12 July. On 23 July, Unite announced that the strikes would continue until 1 August. The strikes will continue even though Bexley council has announced that Serco’s contract will not be renewed.
With waste and recycling collections disrupted, the council says it is prioritising collecting residual and food waste.
Unite regional officer Ruth Hydon said: “Serco is determined by its actions to ensure there is a long hot stinking summer in Bexley.
“While it is was about time that Bexley council got rid of poor performing Serco and our members can look forward to some improvements in their terms and conditions come October, several issues remain unresolved.”
Bexley
Bexley had a household waste recycling rate of 54.2% in the 2019/20 financial year, and the council claims it has been the best London borough for recycling for 16 years in succession.
In a statement, Bexley’s cabinet member for places Peter Craske thanked Serco for their work over many years. He said the outsourcing giant had played a “key role” in helping Bexley be the “number one borough” in London for recycling for the last decade and a half.
Cllr Craske added: “From October, we will deliver Bexley’s waste and recycling collections, street cleaning, gully cleansing and winter maintenance work through a new partnership with Countrystyle Recycling. As part of this agreement, we will also substantially increase the investment we make in these key services.
“Countrystyle are already doing great work managing our reuse and recycling centres and waste transfer station and they are a locally based business with huge ambition. We look forward to working with them to deliver a high-quality service for all of Bexley’s residents.”
The council awarded Countrystyle a five-year contract worth around £1.7 million annually to manage the borough’s reuse and recycling centres in 2018 (see letsrecycle.com story). The contract was also previously held by Serco.
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