A FLEET of new waste and recycling trucks have hit the roads of Basingstoke and Deane this week.

This marked the started of a new £44 million joint waste contract for bin collections in Hart and Basingstoke and Deane.

The contract has been awarded to Serco by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hart District Council to provide household waste and recycling collections for the next eight years, with an option of extending for a further eight years.

Worth £5.5 million per year, the contract will see residents in both areas benefit from improvements to their bin collection service including a reduction in joint service costs, new vehicles, improved bin store signage in flats and improved real time information on the status of bin collections. In the near future Hart residents will also benefit from a kerbside collection of textiles, details to follow in early 2019.

Serco’s regional contract director Jason Kinsella said: “Serco are very proud to have been selected to deliver these essential services to residents across Hart and Basingstoke, including to many of our own head office staff who live locally.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the transferring staff for the huge amount of support they have given us over the last five months and am looking forward to us all working together from October 1.”

A joint waste contract for Hart and Basingstoke was first agreed in 2011 and has delivered significant savings for both authorities over the past seven years.

The retendered joint arrangements ensure the best possible service and continued value for money for residents in both council areas. Staff from the existing Veolia contract were given the opportunity to transfer to the new Serco contract.

Cabinet member for regulatory services and the environment at the borough council, Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “Our primary objective is to ensure our residents receive good value for money.

“Working jointly in partnership with Hart District Council has allowed us to achieve significant improvements to the service provided, while securing the most efficient, value for money service for our residents.

“I look forward to seeing these improvements in action with improved reliability of a brand-new fleet of vehicles and enhanced communication technology to provide residents with live updates on their bin collection service.”

Hart District Council’s cabinet member for technical services, Cllr Alan Oliver, added: “It’s great to see this new contract up and running with Serco, a local Hart business.

“Hart are the administering authority for the service and our joint client team have been working hard over the past few months to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible. I look forward to the benefits this new contract brings and welcome the new staff who are working on this contract.”

For more information on waste and recycling services in Basingstoke and Deane visit www.basingstoke.gov.uk/bins