Congleton: Cheshire East launches another consultation with bin collection on the agenda
More cuts could be set for Cheshire East, with another consultation for the public to respond to.
Just weeks after three more Cheshire East Council tips closed down, another rubbish-related change that could be coming to our area.
Cheshire East residents are invited to have their say on plans for how weekly food waste collections could be introduced across the borough.
The new Simpler Recycling Scheme legislation, means that all local authorities must collect food waste from their residents on a weekly basis by no later than 1 April 2026.
The legislation, announced by Westminster in October 2023, is going ahead still, despite the change in parliament following the general election.
This is a significant operational change affecting almost all residents in Cheshire East, and the financial impacts on Cheshire East Council will also be significant – estimated to be around £1.5m per year.
The council has not been told how much funding it will receive from Government to compensate it for introducing these changes, and there is a significant risk that the funding will not cover the costs in full.
But preparing for the changes to food waste is likely to come at the expense of general waste.
As to reduce this financial burden, the council is now consulting on a preferred option for rolling out weekly food waste collections, which would include changing black bin collections to once every three weeks.
If implemented, this change would be delivered at the same time as the weekly food waste collections begin.
Councillor Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, said: "Any shortfall in funding from the Government to deliver weekly food waste collections will place an even bigger pressure on the council's finances – we are already forecasting a funding gap of £100m over the next four years.
"That's why – along with continuing to encourage and educate people to reduce, reuse and recycle more of their waste – we need to look at the most cost effective and least risky solution for introducing weekly food waste collections, which can also meet the deadline set by the Government."
The consultation proposes four scenarios, and the reasoning for Cheshire East Council's preferred option.
The consultation also discusses potential impact on fly tipping from these changes, including sharing a fly tipping graph from Cheshire East Council.
However, not everyone is a fan of the three-weekly black bin collection.
Sutton Cheshire East Council representative Cllr Chris O'Leary called it "Another consultation to cut services in a way that will have a disproportionately negative impact on our villages and rural communities."
The Conservative councillor went on to add: "This time the proposal is to move to collecting black bins every three weeks. The main problem with this proposal is that, while Cheshire East Council claims that missed bin collections are collected within five working days, the reality is that for many of us the missed bin is collected at the next scheduled bin day.
"This could mean rubbish being left in bins for up to six weeks if these proposals go ahead."
One Nub News reader wrote on Facebook "Regardless the issue with waste is down to packaging not food waste, black bin collections being every 3 weeks in summer - the smell will be horrific."
The consultation closes on 20 October 2024, and can be filled on this link.
Cheshire East Council issued a statement with more details" "The preferred option for introducing food waste collections would see residents issued with a kerbside food caddy (larger than a kitchen caddy but smaller than a wheelie bin)," they said.
Click the red links on this article to fill in the consultation, or see below alternate ways to respond to it. (Image - Congleton Nub News)
"One week, the food waste in these caddies would be emptied into the garden waste vehicles doing their rounds. On the alternate weeks, food waste in the caddies would be collected separately by a dedicated smaller bin wagon."
Cllr Warren added: "As a local authority, we must move ahead to implement the changes required by the Simpler Recycling Scheme legislation and our preferred option for doing this reduces the demand that it would place on our existing fleet of bin wagons and staff.
"Evidence also shows that by collecting black bins once every three weeks, it could increase recycling rates by almost 5 per cent, as well as reduce the financial burden of introducing weekly food waste collections in Cheshire East by more than £1m each year compared to us continuing with fortnightly black bin collections.
"We do understand though that with any change like this, there could be potential impacts and that is why we are proposing to invest in a number of mitigation measures.
"These include recruiting more waste education officers and additional community enforcement officers, who will be targeted to areas where current data shows need is greatest. This will be done in collaboration with town and parish councils."
The feedback received through the consultation will be considered before final proposals are developed and brought back to committee for a decision later this year.
Once again, to respond to the consultation, please head to this link.
As ever, paper copies will be available from Congleton Library.
To receive this questionnaire in an alternative format or submit your response in a different way, simply contact: [email protected].
If you do not have email, call Customer Services on 0300 123 55 00 who will send the response on your behalf.
Elsewhere in rubbish news, a Congleton Nub News Freedom of Information request has revealed that 66% of Cheshire East households have applied to pay for Cheshire East Council's garden waste collection scheme, as of September 2024. (Up a few percent from June 2024).
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