News

Council prepares to bring waste and recycling service back in-house

21 Sep 2026 2 minute read

Recycling vehicle in Bridgend. Photo Bridgend County Borough Council

Nation.Cymru staff

A council is preparing to take direct control of its waste and recycling service for the first time in more than two decades.

Bridgend County Borough Council plans to bring the service back in-house from July 2027, having used an external contractor since 2003.

Cabinet members will receive an update on the preparations when they meet on September 22.

The transition includes buying new waste collection vehicles and establishing the systems, equipment, contracts and operational arrangements needed to run the service directly.

The council has previously approved £1.881m of capital funding towards new waste collection vehicles.

A dedicated Waste Transition Board is overseeing the project, supported by working groups covering areas including operations, assets, finance, procurement, legal services, health and safety, human resources and property.

Additional staff have also been recruited and specialist project management support brought in.

Around 130 suppliers currently provide goods and services for the waste operation, ranging from IT systems and vehicle maintenance to equipment and waste containers.

The council said it may need to continue using some existing suppliers during the transition where this is necessary to maintain services.

Any such arrangements would be subject to legal and governance approval.

Cllr Gary Haines, cabinet member for communities and the environment, said: “Bringing our waste and recycling service back in-house is a significant undertaking, and we are making good progress towards taking direct responsibility for the service in July 2027.

“A considerable amount of work is taking place behind the scenes to ensure we have the people, vehicles, systems and operational arrangements needed to deliver a safe, efficient and reliable service.

“Our priority throughout the transition is to maintain continuity for residents and minimise the risks associated with a project of this scale. We remain committed to ensuring that households continue to receive the high-quality waste and recycling services they expect.”

There will be no changes to household waste and recycling collections at this stage.

Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.