EXCLUSIVE: Bradford Council is proposing to reduce its planned expenditure on recycling improvements funded through extended producer responsibility (EPR) by £1 million, as part of a wider £50 million savings programme.
The council announced the proposals on 30 October, as it seeks to address its financial difficulties and end its reliance on exceptional government financial support.
Under the draft plans, Bradford would reduce its annual budget provision for EPR-funded initiatives supporting the government’s Simpler Recycling reforms from £5.9 million to £4.9 million, a reduction of approximately 17%.
The council said: “The revised provision is considered sufficient to support compliance with relevant funding requirements and statutory obligations while reducing the overall budget requirement.”
It added that the proposal represented a budget realignment based on revised expenditure requirements and would therefore not require public consultation.
However, the proposal could prove controversial given that EPR funding is intended to ensure producers cover the costs of managing household packaging waste, helping councils fund recycling and waste services.
While the funding can legitimately offset existing waste management costs, it is also intended to support improvements in the collection and recycling of packaging materials.
The council has not specified which initiatives, if any, would be affected by the £1 million reduction, or whether the saving would release additional resources to support its wider financial position.
Bradford previously confirmed that it expected to receive £13.6 million in EPR funding during 2026/27, with £5.9 million initially earmarked for improving recycling performance and preparing for Simpler Recycling.
The remaining £7.7 million was already intended to offset the wider costs of managing household packaging waste.
In January, the council identified potential EPR-funded investments including weekly food waste collections, improved waste segregation analysis, education and engagement campaigns, enforcement activities and improvements to household waste recycling centres, vehicles and depot infrastructure.
The latest proposal raises questions about whether all those improvements will proceed as originally envisaged, although the council maintains that its revised budget will be sufficient to meet its obligations.
Bradford recorded a recycling rate of 30.90% in 2024/25, down from 38.9% the previous year.
Trade waste savings
Separately, Bradford is proposing to save a further £50,000 annually from its trade waste collection service from 2027/28.
The saving would be achieved through route optimisation and the deletion of up to two vacant operational posts through natural attrition.
The council said the changes reflected reduced customer demand and would not involve redundancies, changes to collections, fleet provision or charges.
HWRC closures
The latest proposals follow previous budget reductions which saw three household waste recycling centres close in March 2024.
The closures affected Ford Hill in Queensbury, Golden Butts Road in Ilkley and Sugden End in Cross Roads, delivering savings of around £900,000 annually.
The decision subsequently attracted criticism over accessibility and queuing times at the remaining sites.
In September 2026, the council approved plans to reopen Sugden End before Christmas, with operating costs estimated at around £400,000 annually, funded through the reallocation of previously approved events funding.
Savings
Speaking generally about the latest savings plans, Cllr Ian Eglin, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Corporate Resources, said: “These proposals are an important step towards balancing our budget without needing exceptional government financial support. We have focused on making services more efficient and productive, getting the best value from contracts and service providers, helping people earlier and bringing in more income, while limiting the impact on the services people rely on. This has been extremely challenging given that demand on council services continue to rise.
“There is still more work to do, but we are on track to end the need for exceptional financial support two years earlier than originally planned, which will reduce debt payments in the future. I would encourage residents, businesses and community groups to have their say before final decisions are made.”