Necton Parish Council

Residents in Breckland are being encouraged to think carefully about what they put in their recycle bins this Christmas to ensure as much recycling as possible is collected from across the district.

Breckland Council’s new Recycle Right campaign is being launched at a time when households are likely to find themselves with even more recycling, such as cardboard packaging, wrapping paper and glass bottles.

Cllr Trevor Carter, Breckland’s Executive Member for Place, said: “By making sure they recycle right, people can help us maximise the amount of material we can collect for recycling and minimise the waste we have to send to landfill.”

The council is also calling on people to make sure they don’t put general rubbish into their recycle bin by mistake as doing so can ruin items which could normally be recycled.

“People are generally very mindful of what they put in their recycle bins, but there are some items that tend to come up during the festive season which can cause confusion,” added Cllr Carter. “For instance, greetings cards and cleaned food and drink cartons can be recycled, but dirty paper plates, leftover food, old toys and Christmas trees shouldn’t be put in with the recycling.

“If you put general rubbish in with your recycling it can get mixed up or even damage the recycling. For example, we can’t recycle paper if it is covered in food, so putting food in your recycle bin by mistake is likely to ruin the paper and waste the whole lot – and none of us wants to see that happen.”

Things that can go in your recycle bin
• Wrapping paper (minus sticky tape), shredded paper, greetings cards
• Clean glass bottles and jars
• Clean drink/soup cartons
• Clean food tins and drink cans
• Clean takeaway cartons
• Clean aluminium foil wrap and cartons

Things for the rubbish bin (or elsewhere)
• Plastic bags and all bagged waste
• Food waste (peelings / raw veg can be composted)
• Dirty kitchen foil
• Dirty jars, tubs, paper plates
• Sticky tape, ribbons and bows
• Old toys (could go to a charity shop if in good condition)
• Old electricals (these can go to a local Recycling Centre)
• Crisp packets and sweet wrappers
• Drinking glasses
• Light bulbs
• Christmas Trees (real ones can go out with garden waste bin if you have one, or to a Recycling Centre if you don’t. Fake trees can go to Recycling Centre)
• Clothing (can go to a clothing recycle point / bank)

A full list of items that can be recycled is at: www.breckland.gov.uk/recycle-right.

At a meeting on 20 November 2015, the Environment Development and Transport (EDT) Committee voted to continue with the Recycling Centre proposals of changing Ashill, Heacham and Morningthorpe Recycling Centres to part-time opening hours.

This change will take effect from Monday 18 January 2016. Ashill Recycling Centre will be open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays and closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays.

This information will be displayed to visitors to Ashill Recycling Centre and is also available via the County Council website at www.norfolk.gov.uk/recyclingcentres.

This information was provided to Necton Parish Council by Norfolk County Council’s Community and Environmental Services on 17 December 2015.

The Parish Council has been advised that Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm contractor Carillion Utility Services has, with the agreement of landowner Mr J Sheringham, closed the track (used by local horse riders) between two of his fields on the north side of A47 until the weather improves sufficiently to enable track repairs to be undertaken.

Last night, Parish Councillors held their final council meeting of 2015.   There was a festive feel on the evening, thanks to decorations put up by our Friends of Necton volunteers and some light refreshments in the form of sausage rolls, mince pies, chocolates and even a glass of wine, which were enjoyed by all those present following the closure of the meeting.

Thank you to Barbara, Richard and Paul who organised catering and did their magic in the kitchen.  Thank you also to Mr Tompkins, who provided mince pies and wine for all to enjoy.

Draft minutes of this meeting will be available shortly.

The next Parish Council meeting will be Monday, 4 January 2016.

The Parish Council would like to thank residents for their involvement, interest and contributions over the past 12 months and wish you a happy and festive Christmas and New Year.

The Council offices will be closed from 21 December to 4 January.

Thank you to the great team of Christmas Elves who untangled the lights, threaded the baubles and weaved tinsel around the main hall of our community centre this morning.  The hall was in full Christmas dress just in time for Chrissie’s Bingo calls.

This winter, Norfolk County Council Public Health once again urge people to keep themselves warm and well.