Funding row over new food waste collections

Households in Adur and Worthing will have food waste collections in 2026, despite the two local councils claiming a shortfall of nearly £1m in government funding for the scheme.

Adur and Worthing councils will be begin introducing the service from March.

The collections will be weekly, with household refuse and recycling continuing to be fortnightly.

The government said all councils receive funding to cover the costs of new bins and vehicles.

Legislation requires all local authorities to introduce kerbside recycling for domestic properties by 31 March 2026.

In March 2024 Adur and Worthing wrote to the government to ask for funds to cover the costs of new bins and vehicles and were awarded £227,000.

The councils said that amount is £900,000 short of the full cost, including running costs and upgrades for depots, with 10 new 7.5 tonne vehicles needed.

Because of this, the authorities said, the scheme will be introduced on a rolling basis, with areas with the most housing prioritised.

Households will be given a seven-litre caddy to collect waste in their kitchens and a 23-litre caddy to place the waste in ahead of collection days.

Blocks of flats will have communal 140-litre bins.

The councils said initially the introduction will be phased, with areas with the most housing prioritised, because of the funding shortfall.

Jude Harvey, Adur's cabinet member for the environment and leisure, said: “The introduction of a weekly food waste service will go a long way towards reducing the amount of food that ends up in landfill, and will help us boost our recycling rates.”

Vicki Wells, Worthing's cabinet member for environmental services, said: “Although the council has secured enough funding for a phased service, I am very disappointed that we can't afford to roll out the scheme in its entirety."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said councils have received capital funding to cover the costs of new bins and vehicles, but that does not include the cost of delivering the new service.

It also said it is calculating more possible resources.

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.