What did I do

Caught in the Vortex: Balancing Business, Investment, and Life

Sometimes the answer is simple: not a lot. Yet I found myself stuck in a vortex, trying to understand the intricacies of a new lease and whether it’s fairly priced.

I also got caught out on some investments. When P/E ratios climb above 100, you have to be very careful with what you’re doing. Even though I believe the AI revolution is only just beginning, I still lost when two small bets went the other way.

But here’s the realization: it’s more important than ever to adhere to the “thirds rule.”

  • A third for the mind — learning, thinking, and growing.
  • A third for the body — something physical to keep grounded.
  • A third for the spirit — spirituality, purpose, and connection.

Perhaps this balance matters more now than ever before.

WCAS – Patrick Commissoners vote

A quick update:

We must expect and demand much better services. This situation is simply not acceptable, as the site continues to be shut on Mondays and Tuesdays and at lunchtime for the rest of the week.

We still do not receive monthly running accounts. Despite submitting two Freedom of Information requests, the information has not been provided. The recycling bays also remain closed.

Given this repeated failure to provide reasonable information and adequate service, I will be requesting a vote at the December meeting on whether we should continue paying our contributions to the WCAS site until the situation is rectified

Recycling Part 2

♻️
A simpler idea that could be implemented almost immediately is to place tin can recycling containers in the locations mentioned in the other post.

We are currently getting about £20 per tonne for metal recycling at WCAS — which is frankly daylight robbery. As you’ll see compared to the list below, if we’re generating 8 tonnes of recyclable tin in 6 to 8 months at each of our mini recycling centers, we could raise around £2,100 and maybe more. (based on a 50/50 split of pop cans and food cans)
That would allow us to:
– Fund a Children’s Day in Foxdale 🎈
– Make a cash contribution to Glen Maye’s Summer Fête for the adults 🎉

💰 Recycling Values in the UK
The value of recycled materials in the UK varies widely by type, but prices can range from £50 to over £1,000 per tonne depending on the material.
Estimated UK Recycling Values (per tonne)
(See attachment: Screenshot)
Sources: letsrecycle.com price index, Recycle UK Limited

📈 Factors Affecting Value
– Material purity – Clean, sorted materials fetch higher prices
– Market demand – Prices fluctuate with global commodity markets
– Processing costs – Heavier or contaminated materials may cost more to recycle than they’re worth
– Government incentives – PRNs (Packaging Recovery Notes) can influence value for businesses

✨ By starting with tin cans, we create a quick win: visible progress, community engagement, and funds that directly support local events.

Waste Management: A Strategic Imperative in Patrick

I’ve been reviewing the numbers—particularly the waste-related expenditure, which didn’t sit right. Based on unaudited accounts and last year’s ledger, waste costs actually represent 67.01% of our total expenditure. That’s a striking figure.

We did incur some open costs last year, which may have skewed the accounts slightly. But the core issue remains: nearly two-thirds of our spending is going toward waste management.

If we’re serious about running an efficient enterprise, we need to dedicate a similar proportion of our time and strategic focus to defining what waste management means for Patrick—and how we can be a happy, effective provider of that service.

There’s also talk of taking out loans to cover unexpected contingency costs. Before moving forward, we need to ask: are we comfortable saddling future generations with debt due to poor management decisions today?

Here’s a breakdown of the figures:

  • Refuse collection: £79,842
  • WCAS: £40,685
  • Total waste cost: £120,527
  • Total expenditure: £179,842
  • Waste cost as % of total: 67.01%

We also know they’re running 10% over budget. Given their reluctance to share monthly figures, it’s reasonable to discount that by 20% for planning purposes.

And let’s not forget: the increased refuse collection will take time to show in the system. In my view, it’s almost certainly going to be higher—especially with the site not fully operational.

Thanks for your attention to this. I hope it helps inform the next steps.

—Leo