Thousands Object to Cheshire East Council’s Three-Weekly Waste Collection Plan

A recent report indicates that thousands of individuals have expressed opposition to a local council’s proposal for household waste collection every three weeks. Cheshire East Council recently conducted a consultation with residents regarding its suggestion to transition from fortnightly to three-weekly collections for black bins. This initiative forms part of the authority’s broader strategy to achieve £91 million in savings over the upcoming four years, aiming to prevent what it describes as effective bankruptcy. The council’s published report on the public consultation revealed that approximately 84% of the 6,257 participants, totaling around 5,255 individuals, voiced objections to the concept. The report indicated that numerous respondents reported existing difficulties with the current fortnightly collection schedule and expressed worries that the proposed change would “lead to an increase in vermin, pests and smells” as a result of bins overflowing. Furthermore, the report noted that “An increase in fly-tipping and contamination of other bins were also raised as concerns, especially since the recent closure of some of the local HWRC [household waste recycling centre] sites and the introduction of the booking system at the weekend.” Additional apprehensions highlighted the potential adverse effects on specific demographics, such as large families, senior citizens, rural populations, and residents of terraced properties with limited outdoor areas. Cheshire East Council stated that this proposal represents the sole method by which it can finance its legal obligation to implement weekly food waste collections by April 2026. The council estimated that these weekly food collections would incur an additional cost of £1.5 million for the authority. This proposal followed the permanent closure of household waste and recycling facilities in Bollington, Poynton, and Middlewich by the council in August, a measure taken to “ensure essential cost savings can be made.” The Local Democracy Reporting Service, which reports on councils and other public service bodies, compiled this information. For further information, follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Details on our approach to external linking are available.