SEVENOAKS TOWN COUNCIL URGES DISTRICT COUNCIL TO PRIORITISE SEGREGATION OF WASTE COLLECTION SERVICES DURING POTENTIAL DEVOLUTION PROCESS

Sevenoaks Town Council has written to the District Council urging it to prioritise the segregation of its waste collection services not waiting for the Government’s Devolution Programme or Reorganisation proposals proceeding.

The letter, on 23rd January this year, is available to read in full via Page 27 of the 10th February 2025 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda papers. It was written in response to Sevenoaks District Council’s “BIG Waste Conversation”, which sought householder views on whether it should expand its Household Waste Collection Services to include separate collection for glass and food waste.

It stated the Town Council’s view that waste collection services within Sevenoaks District require urgent improvement, with separation of food and glass collections to be a minimum requirement.

While acknowledging the uncertainty introduced to the District Council’s future, by way of Kent County Council’s (since refused) application for the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme, and Local Government Reorganisation proposals Sevenoaks Town Council appealed to the District Council not to allow this to delay any waste collection improvements.

This was on the grounds that, should the District Council be required to unify with other surrounding District or Borough Councils, it is likely that the “best practices” of each would be adopted by the Unitary – thereby requiring waste collection for Sevenoaks District to be brought up to the standard of its neighbours anyway.

The letter argues that, in prioritising this shift now, the District Council would not only be supporting its residents to reduce their carbon footprint but also facilitating the potential future shift to a unitary authority.