Bin changes don’t seem to be cost-neutral

I understood the council’s response to questions about cost implications of the new fortnightly collection was ‘neutral’ when some residents asked if we would get a rebate on our council tax.

Well, in the report that went to cabinet last week it states ‘to deliver the collection model of the (new) fortnightly general waste collection, recycling and food waste weekly and green waste fortnightly the contractor required SIX additional waste vehicles and is requesting to vire (move) £220k of capital budget from another project’.

This leads me to ask where is the additional money coming from to pay the contractor to employ an additional 18 members of staff (assuming three per vehicle)?

They certainly won’t drive and empty the bins by themselves, or are they gifts hanging on the RBWM's Christmas tree?

I estimate these extra 18 staff, fuel and running expenses to be around half a million pounds.

So will these new vehicles be environmentally-friendly?

Sounds to me it would have been cheaper to stay with our old ‘weekly’ collection and it would certainly please residents.

Of course I apologise if I misunderstood the council’s response and in fact this is cost-neutral.

STEVE ANDERSON

Maidenhead