A Stone woman is going to get pampered – after she became the latest winner in a recycling challenge.
Jane Oldfield proved she was good at recycling when Stafford Borough Council officers turned up on her doorstep as part of their ‘Coming to a Bin Near You’ campaign. They challenged Jane, of Redwood Avenue in Walton, to prove she didn’t put recycling in her green rubbish bin – and she won £60.
Jane, a retired manager of an industrial cleaning company, said she was glad she was in when the council came knocking and was looking forward to ‘treating’ herself – and may spend the money on a pampering session. She is the third winner of the recycling doorstep challenge.
It is the latest initiative from the borough council with the aim of boosting recycling to 60% from households across the area. The current figure is around 54%. Council bosses say the move will help keep council tax down – with an increase of just one percent on their recycling worth nearly £14,000 to the authority.
Each month an address is picked at random and will be kept secret – although the council will publicise in advance the area they will be visiting on its website and twitter account or people can find out by contacting the Civic Centre.
Councillor Frank Finlay, Cabinet Member for Environment and Health, said: “We have had tremendous support in the past for our recycling initiatives and this is proving a popular addition to help spur the community on. Where other councils may have looked to fine residents for not recycling properly – we want to reward those who are doing all they can.”
Previous initiatives which allow more to be recycled include taking waxed drink cartons and aerosols, and allowing residents to put batteries and small electrical items in a carrier bag by the side of the recycling blue bin.
Councillor Finlay continued: “A lot of the stuff residents throw in the green refuse waste bin can actually be recycled – this is a message we are keen to get across which will help towards hitting the 60% recycling target we have set ourselves.
“We all know that recycling is good for the environment but what many do not know is that it is also good financially. The council is given money for the amount we recycle and this cash is pumped back in to the service. And the more money coming back to the service, means less money needed to run it – so ultimately recycling is helping to keep council tax down.”
To find out what you can recycle and more information on the bin collection service go to www.staffordbc.gov.uk/binday
