The Government is looking to make such separate collections mandatory, but it has yet to announce a firm deadline for councils to do so. Lib Dems in Chichester believe that ‘there is much we can do to prepare’, even with the government ‘dragging its feet over announcing how it will fund local authorities to provide this additional, mandatory service’. It is calling on CDC to rapidly progress negotiations with West Sussex County Council on seeking a share of savings on an early introduction of separate food waste collections as well as working closely with other second-tier authorities in the county to negotiate a best-value agreement on the purchase of suitable collection vehicles. Jonathan Brown, environment spokesperson for the Chichester Lib Dems, said: “We are fully behind West Sussex County Council’s upgrading of the mechanical biological treatment plant at Horsham. Chichester District Council must step up and strike while the iron is hot. Separate food waste collection is popular and will make a significant contribution to reducing local greenhouse gas emissions. We need to get on with it.” In response, a spokesperson for CDC said: “We want to make recycling as easy as possible for people and are working hard to investigate and plan for the introduction of a food waste recycling service for our residents." As part of this, they confirmed that CDC is in discussions with WSCC about the timelines within which they can offer food waste disposal and has been working with the West Sussex Waste Partnership to discuss feasibility around procuring collection vehicles. Meanwhile R#results and feedback from the food waste trial in Arun would help CDC develop its own scheme. The spokesperson noted the government is still considering its deadline for councils to introduce separate food waste collections, but it is anticipated to be 2024/25, based on information received at this stage. CDC currently offers a commercial food recycling scheme for businesses and has recently introduced new recycling trials and schemes ‘to help and encourage households to recycle as much of their waste as possible’.