Letter to the Editor: Publica was conceived in 2014 when it undertook limited services for West Oxford and Cotswold Councils. 

Publica was firmly set up in 2017 to carry out all the council-services in Cheltenham, Cotswold, Forest of Dean, and West Oxford Councils. 

The main objective was to save operating expenses particularly the pensions of new staff. 

Although there are some variations, all the work of the Forest of Dean District Council is now carried out by Publica.

The political make-up of the councils have changed drastically since 2015/17. 

Whilst Cheltenham has remained Lib-Dem dominated, the other three – Forest of Dean, Cotswold, and west Oxfordshire, which were dominated by the Conservatives from 2015 to 2019, are now politically Lib-Dem or Green/Independent as in the Forest of Dean.

No doubt the political make-up will colour the services provided. 

Considerable amount of tax-payer money was spent in the Forest of Dean in so-called Green-work by the previous council administration.

For Publica, the dominant political group following the 2023 election are the Lib-Dems who lead in Cheltenham, Cotswold, and West Oxfordshire.

The Forest of Dean which had no dominant political group in 2019 is still headless despite the 15 Green Party members elected in 2023.

The Waste collection contract comes up for renewal in 2024. 

The collection service costs close to £4 million and likely to go up with inflation.

Environmental benefits of collections such as of food-waste are suspect. 

Also cost/benefits of some of the recycling. 

An enquiry to the Council regarding the carbon footprint of the present recycling and fortnightly collections drew a blank.

Given the Greens now dominate the Council, I hope sense prevails and the Council carries out a full review of the present collections and treatment (by the County) to establish the least costly and most carbon-efficient collections before re-letting the waste contract next year. 

If not, that is another uncertain and expensive four years for the people of the Forest of Dean 

Venk Shenoi, Blaisdon