Bins emptied every THREE weeks under cost cut plan
Online petition calling for council to have a rethink
BLACK bins in Stockport could be collected once every THREE weeks - rather than every two - as town hall chiefs scramble to balance the books.
The council, which was the first in Greater Manchester to introduce smaller bins for nonrecyclable waste, is proposing to move to collections once every three weeks to help find £13m in cuts for next year.
Fortnightly collections could stop next winter once the town hall has provided households with new, slightly bigger, 180 litre black bins.
Meanwhile an online petition opposing the plan already has more than 1,500 signatures.
BLACK bins in Stockport could be collected once every THREE weeks rather than every two - as town hall chiefs scramble to balance the books.
The council, which was the first in Greater Manchester to introduce smaller bins for non-recyclable waste, is proposing to move to collections once every three weeks to help find £13m in cuts for next year.
Fortnightly collections could stop next winter once the town hall has provided households with new, slightly bigger, 180 litre black bins.
The current wheelie bins are 140 litres.
It is estimated the cost of the new bins will be around £3.5m, which will be taken out as a loan.
Before 2011, residents had 240 litre black bins, but they were replaced with smaller versions as part of a new £7.5m recycling scheme.
After more than 123,000 homes across Stockport were given multi-coloured bins, the borough became the most successful in the region for recycling.
The rate is currently just below 60 per cent.
Residents currently have a 240 litre green bin for garden waste; a 180 litre blue bin for paper and card; a 180 litre brown bin for glass and plastic; and a 140 litre black bin for non-recyclable waste.
If the latest plan for three-weekly collections is approved, residents will have 60 litres capacity for rubbish a week, rather than 70 litres.
Collections for recyclables will be unchanged.
Town hall bosses say the move will reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill sites and increase recycling further.
However, they have stressed that no decisions have been taken – consultation on the proposals is being carried out at the moment.
Residents will be able to apply for an extra black bin if required.
The new bins will also be electronically tagged.
Town hall bosses insist ‘robust action’ will be taken to tackle any potential increase in flytipping as a result of the change.
They say the move will save £250,000 on vehicles and staff thanks to a cut in agency fees.
That cash, they say, will cover the annual loan repayments over the next 20 years, meaning the policy is ‘cost-neutral’.
Stockport’s communities chief, councillor Sheila Bailey, said: “The change in capacity isn’t massive, but the knockon effect, in terms of savings, is.”
Lib Dem leader Iain Roberts said the proposal was a ‘backwards step’ and said there were concerns about flytipping and foul smelling bins during the summer months.