Waste and recycling collections in the West Yorkshire borough have been contracted out since the 1990s.

Last year, the council agreed to extend its contract with Suez by two years until July 2026.

But Calderdale said the typical lifespan of an RCV is eight years, meaning the vehicles it uses now, which have been run by Suez since 2006, would need ‘major, costly repairs and maintenance’ to last until the end of the contract.

A report to cabinet said the repairs would mean spending money on an asset the council would not own while simply delaying the ‘inevitable’ requirement of a new fleet.

This week, councillors agreed that an extra £3m should be made available to buy 13 new RCVs, which would go into use next spring.

Public services director Ian Day said the council did not take the decision to buy a new fleet lightly, but owning the vehicles would offer the best value for money and allow for flexibility over how the service is delivered.

The cabinet report said that because electric RCVs are ‘far more expensive’ than diesel versions, and it would need to invest in charging infrastructure, they were ‘unlikely to be a viable option at the moment’.

It said an option would be using hydrotreated vegetable oil as a fuel source, but then noted this would cost £50,000 more annually.

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