GLOUCESTERSHIRE Joint Waste Committee has elected a Cotswold councillor as its chair.

Councillor Sue Coakley, previously vice chair, is the cabinet member for environment at Cotswold District Council. 

She will now be working county-wide with the new vice chair Cllr Brian Robinson, deputy leader of Forest of Dean District Council.

The committee was formed in 2013 and oversees waste management, recycling and street cleaning services for the local authorities in Cheltenham, Cotswold, Forest of Dean and Tewkesbury, and Gloucestershire County Council.

Cllr Coakley said: “We have introduced a range of county-wide initiatives to improve recycling rates and best practice – including a recent campaign to increase food waste recycling, the promotion of real nappies, and encouraging more composting.

"The Joint Committee also oversaw the development of Gloucestershire’s own Anaerobic Digestion facility at Wingmoor Farm near Bishop’s Cleeve which uses naturally occurring bugs and bacteria to break down food waste into an energy-producing gas.

"From this November all councils in Gloucestershire will be providing a food waste recycling service either using the anaerobic digester or composting as appropriate.

"This both saves money and reduces land fill.

“I would like to thank the outgoing chair Cllr Jim Mason, the Lead Member for Clean and Green Environment at Tewkesbury Borough Council, for his contribution and leadership.

"I am very pleased to continue this work at the helm of the Committee during 2016-17, and will continue to look for ways to improve these vital services.”

More information is available on the Recycle for Gloucestershire website.