Dundee City Council is to make a City Centre Commercial Waste Project permanent following the success of a year-long pilot.
As part of a wider campaign to improve the city centre, the initiative aims to reduce the number of trade waste containers left out on roads to help boost cleanliness and the attractiveness of the environment, encourage more recycling and tackle public safety issues.
Under the scheme, which will be permanent from March 1, waste must be stored on business premises within the city centre and can only be presented for collection at specified times.
A survey was undertaken late last year to gain views of businesses on the impact of the pilot, with the majority of respondents backing the council’s main aims.
Keep Scotland Beautiful also undertook an independent audit in December to help advise the council on the scheme going forward.
The push is part of Take Part in Your City Campaign and is being implemented as the council rolls out elements of a thirty-year vision for the city centre. This includes the recent approval of a £1 million programme of streetscape works in Commercial Street and Murraygate.
Under the long-term City Centre Strategic Investment Programme (CCSIP), the Eastern Quarter of the city centre has also been identified be the focus of activity over the next five years, with external funding being pursued to support long-term investment.
Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure convener Councillor Steven Rome said: “The council has been working hard with retailers and businesses to make the city centre a more attractive and appealing destination for everyone.
“I am pleased at the results of this commercial waste pilot and would like to thank everyone who has made changes to their operations to help implement the new approach.
“We have taken on board a number of lessons from the successful Glasgow scheme and will continue to listen to businesses and the public about their views on what we are carrying out in Dundee.”
Climate, Environment & Biodiversity convener Councillor Heather Anderson added: “We are encouraging businesses to cut down on waste and recycle more and this scheme helps towards those aims.
“The council is also continuing to put a number of environmental improvements in place which are intended to enhance our city centre for locals and visitors alike.”
Following approval of the CCSIP in October 2022, several developments are already in motion.
These include the commercial waste project, Commercial Street enhancement, city lights city nights including an illuminated sign at Exchange Street, shopfront improvements, enhancements to New Inn Entry and the green transport hub and spokes at the Bell Street multi-storey car park.
The CCSIP covers five broad themes of:
· Living
· Working
· Visiting
· Connectivity
· Public Realm
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
