Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment Peter Ainsworth MP today visited Wyre Forest to see for himself the much heralded local facilities. After visiting the Network Worcestershire electrical goods recycling plant in Oldington and Foley Park, and then the Green Street offices of Wyre Forest District council where recycling is managed, the Conservative front bench spokesman for the environment declared himself “very impressed indeed”.
Peter Ainsworth was invited to visit Wyre Forest by Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman Mark Garnier.
Council leader Steven Clee hosted the visit to the district council offices in Green Street where recycling officer Andrew Dickens told Peter Ainsworth about the fantastic progress the council is making in its recycling and collection targets.
Mr Ainsworth was also taken to The Network Worcestershire in Oldington and Foley Park. Mark Garnier has been helping the Network raise publicity over their activities, as well as helping with certain legislative issues. Conservative leader David Cameron MP has been a visitor and a delegation was taken to London to meet with Shadow Secretary of State for Industry Alan Duncan MP.
Commenting after the visit, Mark Garnier said: “Wyre Forest is leading the way with recycling and I am proud to be associated with a district that takes the environment so seriously. Today we visited two operations. One was a privately started charitable project; the second a local government service. Both work together and both show that issues of recycling and refuse is something that everyone can get involved with. This is a priority and it is being led by Wyre Forest.”
Peter Ainsworth added: “I am very grateful to Mark and Steven for looking after me and showing me what is going on here. The Network Worcestershire is a terrific organisation in that it re-uses electrical goods, it provides a disposal service for the whole county, it provides local jobs and it provides necessary domestic appliances to those people who would otherwise not be able to afford them. And I was particularly impressed with the achievements at the district council under Steven Clee’s leadership. The fact that they are achieving and breaking their targets is entirely down to sound management and clear thinking. It was a very valuable tour for me as I can take with me the key to Wyre Forest’s successes and look at them in the context of national legislation. Well done to all in Wyre Forest.”
