Schools recycling league

Luke, the Youth Parliament Member for Hastings and Rother made an impressive presentation to officers from both authorities. Both see this as an opportunity to support the educational and communications programmes needed to encourage everyone to deal with waste responsibly.

However, initial approaches to East Sussex County Council, who are responsible for the management of the waste disposal function, consider that they may have to treat any recycled waste collected in this way as commercial waste. This would mean that it might not all count towards government targets, attract recycling credit payments and indeed would be to the detriment of the proposed recycling schemes both authorities would be introducing in the forthcoming year. If this position is confirmed the proposal may come to an end and an opportunity to engage with the school communities where a change in behaviour could bring about lifetime benefits, could be lost. The difficulties being experienced in taking the matter forward were reported to a Joint meeting of Councillors from Rother and Hastings on 20th October.

Councillor Graham Gubby, Leader of Rother District Council, said "A number of the Members that sit on the Joint Members' Meeting represent both the Waste Disposal and Collection authorities, so the support of the Meeting that challenges the view of the Disposal authority is interesting. However, we were happy to support the proposal as the important factor here is that we have a group of young adults that want to be proactive in the important and urgent issue of responsible waste management. We all have to become more responsible for what happens to the waste we generate. If Hastings and Rother Councils are able to support the Youth Parliament with a valid, legitimate and useful project we have a chance of bringing about lifetime benefits. If we cannot support the project this will send out entirely the wrong message to this group and we miss the opportunity of engaging with a very important sector of the Community and kerbing their enthusiasm for a very worthwhile project."

Councillors Graham Gubby, Carl Maynard and Ron Dyason will now take the matter up with their colleagues at East Sussex County Council to see if a change of approach can be achieved and how the efforts of the Youth MP and the young people of Rother and Hastings can be supported in this important area.