Cheshire East Council has awarded a new contract for the running of the borough's household waste recycling centres.
The contract with FCC Environment will run from this September for an initial seven year-period.
As well as saving the council money this year and in future years, the contract will see investment made in site upgrades, including new cabins, better signage, fencing, and surface repairs. The Macclesfield site will also get drainage and access improvements.
New features like number plate recognition and a 'meet and greet system' will help ensure that sites are being maintained for Cheshire East residents only. Residents will also now be able to donate medical and IT equipment at their local site. Plus insect hotels will be added to each site to help boost biodiversity.
Supporting the council's carbon neutral 2045 target for the borough, FCC Environment has also made a commitment to reduce carbon emissions and work towards becoming net zero during the lifetime of the contract.
Councillor David Jefferay, chair of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, said: "This contract brings real benefits for our residents, our environment, and our communities and will continue to offer a high standard of service while saving the council money.
"It's a big step forward for waste and recycling in Cheshire East and will improve how our sites operate."
The booking system that is in place for visiting household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) during weekends and Bank Holidays will remain in place.
FCC Environment operations director, Chris Ellis, said: "We operate over 100 household waste recycling centres up and down the country so we are a safe pair of hands when it comes to delivering a great service for residents and our council clients alike.
"But we were particularly pleased to secure this contract which will deliver cost savings, will see sites upgraded and will bring community benefits too.
"We are already embedded into Cheshire East with other facilities in the area so we are delighted to have been entrusted with this contract and we look forward to meeting the needs of residents for many years to come."
As part of the wider HWRC service, from 1 September, the mobile HWRC will be expanded to cover more areas where residents are either not within a 20-minute drive time of a HWRC site or are in an area where data indicates that incidents of fly tipping are at an increased level.
From September, the mobile HWRC will also be available for four hours during each visit, instead of the current two.
The exact locations of where the mobile HWRC will operate is still to be finalised, but areas it will cover include Wilmslow.
