PRESS Release issued by Shropshire Council
New Cabinet member aims for recycling rate rise
Shropshire Council’s new Cabinet member for waste has praised residents for their recycling efforts, and welcomed improvements to waste and recycling services which should see Shropshire’s recycling rate reach 50 per cent by 2012.
Councillor Mike Owen took up his new position as Cabinet member for waste and economy at the end of April and last week visited the household recycling centre at Battlefield Enterprise Park in Shrewsbury, to find out more about the centre and about improvements to waste and recycling services across the county.
Mike Owen said: “I’m delighted to take on responsibility for the council’s waste and recycling services at a time when services are improving, and our recycling rate is rising and is well above the national average.
“The council and our contractors Veolia are working hard to improve services and to make it easier for people to recycle more.
“In the last year we have seen a new recycling centre open in Oswestry, with a new one planned for Bridgnorth. Kerbside collections of plastic bottles are now being carried out in the Oswestry area and in North Shropshire, and will be introduced across the rest of the county over the next 12 months.
“These developments will help ensure that more than 50 per cent of our household waste will be recycled or composted by 2012, which will be a fantastic achievement.
“I would like to thank all residents for their efforts to recycle and compost as much as possible and encourage them to keep up the good work.”
Councillor Keith Barrow, Leader of Shropshire Council, said: “I would like to welcome Mike Owen to the Cabinet and wish him well in his new role. Reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill is a key priority for the council. With his knowledge and experience I am sure that he will do an excellent job in helping us to achieve this aim.”
As well as waste and recycling, in his new role Mike Owen will oversee a wide range of services areas, including trading standards, environmental health, licensing, economic development, animal welfare, bereavement services and tourism.
He takes over from Councillor David Roberts who chose to step down from the Cabinet due to work commitments.
The Cabinet is the part of the council which is responsible for most day-to-day decisions, and is made up of 10 councillors chaired by the Leader of the Council.
Cabinet's primary roles are to lead in the preparation of the council's policies and budget, to run services as agreed by full council, and to monitor performance.
Mike Owen is Shropshire Councillor for the Meole division in Shrewsbury, and also the council’s member champion for assets.
In the year 2008/2009 Shropshire residents recycled or composted 47.57 per cent of their household waste, above the national average of 37.6 per cent, and this figure is expected to rise again this year.