WASTE is meant to be on the decrease.But Suffolk County Council produced more waste last year than the year before.It completely missed its target of reducing waste by 10pc.

WASTE is meant to be on the decrease.

But Suffolk County Council produced more waste last year than the year before.

It completely missed its target of reducing waste by 10pc.

This emerged in the full council meeting yesterday.

Conservative councillor Stefan Oliver asked: "Can the portfolio holder explain how this council set a target to reduce waste by 10 pc in 2002-2003 and in fact increased it by over 30 pc?"

In a supplementary come-back, he added: "The county council is now using around 54 million A4 sheets of paper a year – that is 100 sheets of paper for every adult in Suffolk."

Julian Swainson, portfolio holder for sustainable planning, environment and transport, said: "I think the 10 pc target has always been seen as an aspirational target.

"I am disappointed at the increase in waste at County Hall. We need to work harder to see that progressive reduction."

But, he added, people were being encouraged clear their desks before the county council's move to Endeavour House – and so waste was likely to increase in the short term.

Speaking outside the meeting, Mr Swainson said: "We need to look at the reason for waste production to see if there are changes in the way we work that are increasing waste.

"As we move more and more into IT, it doesn't necessarily cut paper because people print out and there is a definite need to change that as we move to Endeavour House."

A recent Sustainable Suffolk overview and scrutiny committee report showed the amount of waste produced by the county council's County Hall complex increased from 121,960kg in 2001-2002 to 154,970kg in 2002-2003.