Cheshire East Council says collecting black bins every three weeks instead of fortnightly may be the only way it can meet future legal requirements for weekly food waste pick-ups, writes Belinda Ryan.
Tom Shuttleworth, interim director of environment and neighbourhoods, told councillors it didn’t look as if the funding being offered to implement the new weekly food waste collection scheme in 2026, would cover the council’s costs.
He said changing to a three-weekly collection at the same time for household waste black bins would help fund it.
The Conservatives argued at the environment and communities committee that the council was jumping the gun in including the three-weekly black bin proposal in with the public consultation on the weekly food waste collection.
This is because government guidelines suggest two-weekly black bin collections could become mandatory.
They also questioned why a three-weekly option was the only one being put forward in the recommendations for consultation, when officers had identified three other options, two of which included keeping fortnightly collections.
Bunbury councillor Becky Posnett (Con) said: “If the officers … have come to the decision that we are going to a three-weekly bin collection… who’s running the council?
“Why is there only one recommendation made it through for us to consider today?”
Cllr Mary Brooks (Macclesfield, Lab) said that was what experienced officers were for – to bring forward recommendations.
“This is also mitigating the financial risk to the council and we really need to be mindful of that,” said Cllr Brooks.
Macclesfield councillor Ashley Farrall (Lab) said the council had had the weekly food waste collections imposed on it by the previous government without adequate funding to implement it.
“That’s come at the expense of the council, our residents and our communities,” he said.
“We don’t want to do three-weekly collections but we have to find the money from somewhere.”
Conservative group leader Janet Clowes referred to a concern raised by a member of the public about three-weekly collections and potential health implications and hazards for elderly and disabled people who had to dispose of bulky incontinence products.
Cllr Chris O’Leary (Sutton, Con) said three-weekly collections would have a disproportionate impact on rural communities, because if bins were missed in those areas they weren’t picked up until the next scheduled collection date.
This would mean rubbish sitting in black bins for six weeks.
Committee chair Mick Warren (Macclesfield, Ind) stressed councillors were only voting on proposals to go out to public consultation, they were not voting on implementing any new scheme.
The committee agreed unanimously to consult with the public on the implementation of a weekly food waste collection.
This would involve kerbside collection of the food waste in 23L caddies.
Eight councillors voted in favour of consulting on the possible introduction of a three-weekly black bin collection, four voted against and one abstained, so this was also approved.
Seems as though left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing – CEC you need to get a grip. If this all goes through and we end up with yet another bin, where is the money coming from for this ’23L food waste bin’ to be distributed to households. I put my food waste, what little there is of it, into the garden bin, as per current instructions. I haven’t a 23L food waste bin and I am not going to buy one. Maybe this is going to be another bin we ALL will have to pay for.
Who puts food waste in any bin, have a word with yourself, you are a rubbish shopper and have money to burn if you even waste a crust learn how to cook leftovers like a normal adult
Well I for one don’t waste food,a few scraps per week,which used to go in the garden waste bin as per the councils then guidelines ,but due to our inept council and there inability to manage funds,they decided they would charge for the garden waste bin.
Now due to legislation the council cannot charge you extra for the removal of food waste, so guess what,they told you to place any food waste in the black bin,this lot are responsible for there own mess,we need to stand together on this and make sure the black bin collection stays no longer than fortnightly.
Just I thought Labour are now in government, so as a Labour run council I am sure they can ill afford for you to go bankrupt so let’s see if the change happens as per the Labour promise
Three weeks worth of household mixed rubbish may make the black bins to heavy for some people to safely wheel them to the pick up point.
Can’t you just put food waste in green bin, which we are already having to pay for ?