AES ~ Bord na Móna Secures Wexford County Council Waste Management Contract

04 Jan 2012

 

 

Today, 4th January 2012, Wexford County Council announces that following a competitive process, AES, Bord na Móna’s Resource Recovery company, has purchased the Council’s waste collection business. On the 6th February, AES will take over the delivery of waste and recycling bin collection services to the households across the county currently serviced by Wexford County Council.  

All services will continue to be operated by Wexford County Council until Friday 3rd February 2012 and will transfer to AES on Monday 6th February 2012. There will be no change to the current pricing structure and collection schedules for existing Wexford County Council customers will remain the same. Key features of this new arrangement include:

 

• AES will maintain the existing levels of service provided by Wexford County Council  
• There will be no price increase for any existing Wexford County Council customer in 2012 , regardless of proposed increases in the Government land-fill levy, with the majority of customers receiving an immediate 5% reduction on last years standard charge
• Customers in receipt of a waiver from Wexford County Council will continue to have their bins accepted on the same basis as before until December 2012. AES is committed to maintaining the existing waiver offering to existing customers until December 2012, after which AES intends to offer a discounted service charge to these customers.
• AES will continue to provide the same level of service at the current rates to School customers, allowing a ‘non-use period’ during the summer months
• AES will continue to provide service to Holiday Home customers at the current discounted charge 
• AES will continue to honor all existing arrangements with local charities, community groups and other voluntary groups until December 2012 and will provide service free of charge to these organizations to December 2012. 
• A Brown bin collection service for organic/food waste will be rolled out in late 2012  

 

AES expects that securing this new contract will mean recruiting a number of additional staff in customer service and service provision from February 2012 onwards. All staff currently employed by Wexford County Council in the refuse management business will be reassigned to alternative roles within the Council, and have been fully briefed in advance of a public announcement.  

Speaking on behalf of Wexford County Council Mr. Eddie Breen, County Manager, stated “Following a detailed review of our household waste management services, we determined that selling this business was the best option to enable us  reduce costs and reassign resources more effectively. AES was chosen to take over the business following a competitive sales process and we are confident that they have the track record and business experience to continue to provide Wexford customers with a competitively priced, reliable and environmentally beneficial service.”

Commenting on the successful business outcome for AES, Emer Moran, Director of Resource Recovery, Bord na Móna, said “We are delighted to have been successful in this competitive tender and to reinforce our presence in Wexford County. We already provide services to thousands of homes and businesses in Wexford and our ambition is to innovatively build on the current Wexford County Council service, primarily by introducing further options for waste segregation and more advanced customer account services”

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

To help make the changeover as straightforward as possible, we've put together this list of FAQs for customers. 

1) Why is Wexford County Council ceasing to provide a waste collection service?

Following a detailed review of its position in the household waste collection market and taking account of how the market has changed in recent years, Wexford County Council has decided to sell the waste collection business in order to reduce costs of service provision and to focus resources on other areas within Wexford County Council’s remit. 

• The Council’s customer base has been steadily falling over the years. This has placed a significant strain on the Council’s ability to provide a service that is financially viable.
• If staying in this business, Wexford County Council may have had to increase its charges to all its customers which would be intolerable in the current climate.

Wexford County Council conducted a competitive process and it has now been agreed that AES will purchase the Council’s waste collection business and take over delivery of services from the 6th February 2012. 

The outcome of this competitive sales process means there will be no disruption or alterations to the way Wexford County Council customer’s waste is currently collected and the current waiver system will be maintained until 31st December 2012

2) I am an existing customer. Who will be taking over my waste collection service?

AES, part of the Bord na Móna group, will be taking over household waste collection services for customers previously served by Wexford County Council from the 6th February 2012.  From that time all customer queries regarding waste collection services should be directed to:

AES C/O Bord na Móna, Newbridge, Co. Kildare.

Tel: 1850 650 655

Email: Wexford@aesirl.ie

 

3) Why did Wexford County Council choose AES?

• AES was successful in the competitive sales process.
• AES have committed that there will be no increase in existing waste charges to 31st December 2012, and to maintaining existing waivers to 31st December 2012.
• As a Bord na Móna company, AES has excellent environmental credentials and can be trusted to collect and dispose of household waste in an environmentally responsible way.
• AES has strong local experience currently providing an efficient and effective service to over 5,000 customers in the Wexford area. 
• AES expects to be recruiting additional staff to deliver this service.  
• AES is committed to enhancing the range of waste and recycling services offered to Wexford County Council customers starting with a proposed organic/food waste (Brown Bin) from end of 2012 
• AES is one of the largest waste management companies in Ireland and from the 6th February 2012 will be providing service to over 95,000 households across Ireland, primarily in Leinster and Munster.

 

4) What will this mean for my bin collection? 

Your bins will continue to be collected by Wexford County Council’s staff until 3rd February and by AES from the 6th February 2012 onwards. Your bins will continue be collected on the same day. 

5) Is there anything I need to do at this stage?

No. You do not need to do anything. Wexford County Council will transfer some of your customer details (i.e. name, address, contact telephone numbers, waiver status (if applicable) and bin details only) to AES. No other financial or personal details relating to your account with Wexford County Council will be supplied. AES will continue to provide the waste collection service on the normal collection days in your area.

 

6) When will AES take over Wexford County Council’s waste collection service?

Wexford County Council will operate the refuse service as normal until the 3rd February 2012. From the 6th February 2012 AES will be fully responsible for waste collection services. 

 

7) Will the new service cost me more?

No, in fact the majority of customers will see their service charge for 2012 reduce by 5%. In addition there will be further discounts available for payment by Direct Debit or full upfront payment of the annual charge. AES is committed to maintaining existing charges for all other customers to the 31st December 2012, and to absorbing the increased Land fill levies from September 2011 and those anticipated from June 2012. 

Waiver customers will continue to receive the reduced fee for 2012.

As part of the sales process AES has agreed to honour all existing arrangements with local charities, community groups and other voluntary groups, and to provide waste collection service free of charge to these organisations to December 2012.

 

8) So should I pay Wexford County Council or AES for my service charge for 2012?

You should pay AES for your 2012 charges, including the charge for collection by Wexford County Council in January. AES will be issuing invoices for service from the end of January.  Any arrears that you owe for 2011 or previous years should be paid directly to Wexford County Council.  

 

9) My account with Wexford County Council is currently in credit. What does this mean for me?

If your account is in credit, Wexford County Council will contact you directly regarding the credit balance on your account and make arrangements for refund early in 2012.

 

10) Is this service open to new customers?

No, this service only applies to existing Wexford County Council customers. New customers should call 1850 650 655 to avail of AES services directly. 

 

11) How do I pay for this new service?

You can pay by Direct Debit, over the phone, on-line via www.aesirl.ie, by cheque or postal order, through An Post, or using billpay or paypoint at retailers throughout the county. AES will invoice customers for 2012 and you should pay AES via the payment methods shown on that invoice.  Wexford County Council have invoiced customers for 2011 and any remaining 2011 charges or prior year arrears should be paid directly to Wexford County Council.  You can contact Wexford County Council on (053) 919 6317.

 

12) I am a holiday home customer with a “Summer bin” from WCC.  How does this affect me? 

Once you are an existing “Summer bin” customer receiving a special rate for restricted use, AES will provide you with exactly the same service that you currently receive up to the 31st December 2012.   

 

13) I am a waiver customer with Wexford County Council. What does this mean for me under AES?

Once you are an existing customer receiving a waiver under Wexford County Council’s waiver scheme, AES will provide you with exactly the same service that you currently receive from Wexford County Council (specifically, a discount on your service charge until 31st December 2012). 

 

14) I recently applied for a waiver. Will this scheme continue now?

Once your waiver application has been approved and processed by Wexford County Council before the 31st December 2011 then it will be honoured by AES.

 

15) I represent a local charity, community group or voluntary group and have an existing arrangement with Wexford County Council. What will happen now?

AES will continue to honour all existing arrangements with other voluntary groups and will provide service free of service charge to the 31st December 2012. AES will be contacting these customers directly in the coming weeks.

 

16) I currently pay my service charge to the County Council with my rent. What will happen now?

Wexford County Council will no longer be directly responsible for waste collection after the 6th February. Your Wexford County Council rental charge will be reduced by the appropriate amount and you can simply pay AES directly via bill pay cards in the Post Office, Postpoint and Payzone retailers across the country, online or by Direct Debit.

 

17) Will I get a brown bin collection as part of this new service?

Brown bins are currently available by switching to AES’s standard service in many urban areas of Wexford. General Waste and Recycling service will continue to be provided to all Wexford County Council customers. Customers in Enniscorthy, participating in the Wexford County Council brown-bin pilot will continue to receive service at the current rates. In keeping with AES’s ambition to increase the levels of organic/food waste segregation and diversion from landfill, it is planned that there will be a further roll-out of Brown bins to Wexford County Council customers from end 2012.

 

18) Will my bins be rebranded and will I need new bins?

AES will arrange to rebrand your existing bins in due course to reflect the new service provider. You will not need new bins.

 

19) If I need a replacement bin or my existing bin needs to be repaired who should I contact?

From the 6th February 2012, AES will be responsible for all aspects of your waste management including bin repair & replacement. Until then you should continue to contact Wexford County Council as normal.

 

20) Does the requirement to segregate my waste still apply?

Yes. You will still be required to separate your waste into two bins. The list of Dos & Don’ts will remain the same and are available here From the end of 2012, AES will be offering more ways to recycle with the roll-out of Brown bins for organic/food waste.

 

21) Are any Civic Amenity Sites operated by Wexford County Council closing?

No, these will be operated by Wexford County Council as usual. You can continue to bring items here as before.

 

22) Can I continue to bring my glass bottles and cans to the bottle banks?

Yes, though a Glass bin collection from your home can be provided in certain areas by switching to AES’s standard service and of course most cans can be recycled through your free fortnightly recycling collection.

 

23) Who should I contact for further information on waste collection services?

From the 6th February 2012, any queries regarding waste collection services should be directed to AES 

Callsave: 1850 650 655

Email: Wexford@aesirl.ie

In the meantime you should continue to contact Wexford County Council on (053) 919 6317