WREXHAM Council has spent almost £1 million more than planned on rubbish collection, it has been revealed.

It comes following a recent audit report which shows that the authority is being charged more than double the fees paid by other local authorities in Wales to dispose of food and black bag waste.

The council is currently projected to overspend its revenue budget by just over £1m during 2018/19.

Almost £970,000 of that amount is accounted for by the collection and disposal of rubbish, which has partly been blamed on staffing costs.

Council leader Mark Pritchard also said the Welsh Government had slashed the amount it gives in grants for waste collection.

In a report outlining excess spending by the environment and planning department, he also highlighted a shortfall in parking income of £165,000, partly because of delays in introducing parking charges for councillors.

He said: “The department is anticipating a net overspend of £1,131,000 in the following areas.

“Refuse collection and disposal (£966,000) – due to further reduction in Welsh Government grant in 2018/19 of £256,000 giving an overall reduction of £477,000 and due to additional staffing costs of £489,000.

“Estimated car park income is lower than the budget target.

“The revocation of free parking for disabled blue badge holders (£25,000) did not become operational until May 21, 2018 and the introduction of staff/member parking fees (£49,000) has not yet commenced and it is unlikely that the additional income will be received this financial year.”

A separate Wales Audit Office report shows that Wrexham Council is currently one of only three local authorities not involved in the Welsh Government’s Waste Infrastructure Procurement Programme.

Auditors said it was paying more for rubbish disposal after opting out of the scheme to help councils set up food and residual waste contracts.

In the report they said: “Wrexham County Borough Council was well advanced in developing its own solution before the start of the programme.

“In 2013, the council signed a 25-year private finance initiative waste management contract, which included a mechanical biological treatment facility for residual waste with a capacity of 55,000 tonnes per year.

“The facility started to operate and to take the council’s waste in July 2015, and the contract will expire in March 2038.

“The gate fees for Wrexham’s residual waste treatment facility are more than double the median cost of the residual projects under the programme.”

Cllr Pritchard’s report also outlines an overspend of £259,000 on children’s social care, because of increased costs for out of county and leaving care placements.

Some of the excess spending in other areas has been reduced by an underspend in the council’s carbon and council tax reduction scheme budgets of around £350,000.

The report will be considered by members of the customers, performance, resources and governance scrutiny committee on Wednesday (DEL 24 OCTOBER 2018).