Fife councillors push for scrutiny of recycling operator over booking system row

The controversy kicked off in July when FRS, an arms length organisation that manages the Kingdom’s recycling centres on behalf of Fife Council, introduced the new set-up. It instantly raised ire on social media and all four ward councillors have since come out against the system. FRS, also known as Cireco, said the move was due to “increasing demand and congestion at the site causing safety risks to the public and site staff”. There were also three onsite injuries - two of which required ambulance services to attend - that contributed to the decision.

Cllr David Barratt (inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay. SNP) has been searching for ways to scrutinise the decision and look for other solutions, but he claims that he has essentially been told it's not his business.

“After a few days attempting to get the issue of recycling centre access on the agenda of Fife Council's Cabinet Committee, I have had to remove any reference to recycling centres to do so,” Cllr Barratt stated.

“Despite various committees previously discussing matters where the Council's Arms Length External Organisations (ALEOs) operate, it has not been possible to table a motion directly on this.”

Cllr Barratt’s said his first two motions were deemed incompetent by the council’s legal services. He also tried unsuccessfully to put a motion to the south and west area committee asking it to get FRS officials attend in person to face scrutiny.

His final attempt, which will be debated at Cabinet on Thursday, asks how councillors can influence policy in areas where ALEOs operate.

Cllr Barratt stated: “The motion might not reference the issues directly, but I certainly will when speaking to it.”

Both he and Councillor David Dempsey believe that arms-length organisations, should be open to scrutiny from elected members.

Cllr Dempsey added: “FRS was set up to facilitate a trading arm of the council's waste operations and to use this to generate a financial benefit.What it was not set up to do was to prevent scrutiny and circumvent the ability of the council to determine policy in areas where it operates. If that, as it appears, is what it has morphed into, it needs to be changed.”

If the motion is successful, Cllr Barratt said it will now lead to a review of all of Fife’s arms-length organisations and how they operate.

“If necessary, I will seek to change the governance set up to ensure the Council retains the ability to direct policy in areas where ALEO's operate,” he added.