FOOD WASTE COLLECTION
 
Merton Council has announced that the food waste collection service, which already is provided to 50,000 properties, is to be extended to all the other households (another 32,650) by the end of this year. The cost of £290,000 will come from the London Waste and Recycling Board.
 
The food will be composted and so save the borough landfill tax burden by over £100,000, and also reduce the amount of methane gas released. Methane is said to be 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.  Full details can be found here .
 
The food waste will be collected on the same day as the rest of your rubbish. What will happen is that the Council will provide an outside lockable food bin, a caddy to keep in the kitchen, and a supply of starch liners (52 every 6 months, enough for 2 liners a week). These liners have to be compostable, so plastic sacks can’t be used. You will be able to buy extra liners from the libraries and supermarkets.
 
Raw or cooked food of any kind can be put straight into the liner placed in the caddy, including bones, as well as tea and coffee. When the liner is full, it’s put into the outside food bin for collection; simple and very ecologically friendly.
 
The Council will obviously be sending out instructions with the equipment.
 
QUEEN’S VISIT TO MERTON
 
The Queen is going to include Merton in her Diamond Jubilee tour, and will be coming on 15^th May.  The details of her route are not yet available, but the crowds should turn out in force to celebrate her remarkable achievements.
 
Personally, I remember seeing part of her visit to Merton in 1977 on a day of lovely weather during her Silver Jubilee, when she attended the women’s final at Wimbledon. This was fittingly won by Virginia Wade.
 
For tennis fans, this is a really exciting summer, with the Olympic tennis being played on the grass at Wimbledon, as well as the usual Championships. It’s just a pity that so few of us can obtain tickets for either event!
 
 
PAUL MARSH’S ARTICLES ON HOUSING IN MERTON

We are very grateful to Paul Marsh for writing and letting us print his very interesting articles on the history of the mid- wars housing boom in this area. This was largely led by his grandfather Rowland Marsh and then by his father, Cyril. Our older readers may remember Cyril Marsh, who was a leading member of the Merton & Morden Urban District Council, and became the first Mayor of the London Borough of Merton in 1964. Paul himself still has local connections. He has had a distinguished career as a solicitor, and served as President of the Law Society. Part 1 of Paul Marsh's article is here and Part 2 here.
 
 
John Elvidge