Council takes back control of waste, recycling and bereavement services

Cheshire East Council has welcomed its waste, recycling and bereavement services back in-house and reassured residents that services are continuing as normal.

The majority of services previously provided by Orbitas Bereavement Services Ltd and Ansa Environmental Services are now being directly delivered by Cheshire East Council.

This includes bin collections, street cleansing, maintenance of green spaces, parks development, fleet services, bereavement services – including the management of  cemeteries and crematoriums – and the handyperson service. 

It follows an extensive review of two of the council’s wholly-owned companies and a decision made by the council’s finance sub-committee in June last year.

Councillor Lata Anderson, vice chair of Cheshire East Council’s finance sub-committee, said:

“The decision to bring the services delivered by Ansa and Orbitas back in-house is considered the best way to deliver these services to our residents going forward, and it forms a key part of our whole-organisation transformation programme.

“Our key priorities while bringing these services back in-house have been to ensure that high-quality frontline services continue to be delivered efficiently and effectively, and that all staff affected by these changes have been supported.

“I would like to reassure residents that services, including bin collections, will continue as normal, while ensuring value for money for the council and our residents.  

“The council also recognises that both Ansa and Orbitas colleagues have brought with them a lot of knowledge, commitment and experience, which will be of great value as the authority moves towards delivering exciting transformational change.”