A ground-breaking council initiative will see waste and street scene services delivered in a much more joined-up way across west Suffolk. By working more closely together through a Joint Committee to manage these services Forest Heath District Council and St Edmundsbury Borough Council aim to tackle general cleanliness problems on a wider front and improve the effectiveness of the service residents receive for waste collection and recycling.

One immediate benefit is a dedicated highway litter picking team concentrating on the A14. Operating from a specially equipped vehicle, the two man team will be responsible for clearing the verges and lay-bys for the complete length of the dual carriageway as it crosses the two districts. Previously a single contractor had been responsible for clearing verges and lay-by’s across the whole of Suffolk.

Efficiencies are already being made by maintaining refuse vehicles from both Council’s waste vehicle fleets from a central depot at Western Way in Bury St Edmunds.

Cllr Tony Simmons, Champion for the Environment at Forest Heath District Council said,

“This initiative will allow us to deliver the best value, high quality services that residents expect. Both districts have an excellent track record for recycling and the new Joint Committee will help to ensure that we can continue to make the most of opportunities to realise our aspirations in re-using, reducing and recycling our waste."
Councillor Peter Stevens, St Edmundsbury Borough Council Cabinet member for Environment and Street Scene, said: "Quality of life rests heavily on maintaining a clean, green environment. It helps greatly that our two district are both physically similar and strongly committed to continuous improvement in waste and street scene services. This initiative is forward looking and puts us in a position to deliver residents' expectations. The A14 is also the shop window for visitors to Suffolk and we are determined to keep the route cleaner and greener."   
The relationship will be cemented at the first meeting of the joint committee on Friday 6 June at Forest Heath District Council offices in Mildenhall when a chairman will be elected.