A new recycling scheme in Somerset may not start delivering savings until early 2023 as the projects deficit nears £1 million.

The Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) began rolling out Recycle More in late October 2020, with more items being recycled at the kerbside and refuse collections moving from fortnightly to once every three weeks.

Having rolled out the scheme in the Mendip area, South Somerset residents will be the next to benefit from the new collections from Monday (June 28) – with the SWP promising its driver shortage will not affect the roll-out.

However, the SWP has admitted that it will take longer than planned for the scheme to produce the annual savings which had been promised – with the Recycle More budget now close to £1 million in deficit.

Sarah Rose, the SWP's finance service manager, laid things out in a report published ahead of a joint scrutiny panel meeting yesterday afternoon (June 23).

In the 2020/21 financial year, the scheme overspent by £824,200 on its annual budget, leaving the overall Recycle More project fund (a separate budget within the SWP's accounts) with a deficit of £964,200.

Ms Rose said in her report: "Recycle More was forecast to break even during the early part of quarter two of 2022/23.

"Further work has been done to update this position and it is now anticipated to be in quarter three of 2022/23.

"This position is as a result of updated information on recyclate yields and income and actual roll-out costs incurred.

"There are still some unknowns which could impact the breakeven position, such as the demand for replacement containers and the ongoing impact on materials sales values. We will continue to regularly review this as roll out continues."

Ms Rose said she remained confident that Recycle More would still deliver annual savings of more than £2 million.

She said: "As previously agreed, no savings as a result of the new contract will be taken from the SWP until all roll-out costs have been fully funded and breakeven point is reached."

Following the South Somerset roll-out, the former Taunton Deane area – including Taunton, Wellington and Wiveliscombe – will be the next to receive the service.

SWP managing director Mickey Green said work on the Taunton Deane depot – at Walford Cross near Monkton Heathfield – was progressing well ahead of this phase of the roll-out beginning on November 1.

He said in his written report: "The build of the new depot at Walford Cross remains on schedule.

"Contingency plans are in place to ensure that the roll-out on November 1 can still go ahead should there be delays to the build programme, and clearly any future waves of Covid-19 may also have an impact."