City plans shake-up of bulky waste charges

Bulky waste collection charges look set to be more than halved as council bosses prepare their latest budget.

Bulky waste is classed as furniture, household electrical items like televisions and white goods including fridges and freezers.

Due to increasing budget pressures,manycouncilsstartedtochargetocollecttheitems in recent years, with Sunderland City Council introducing a fee in 2013.

Nextweek,thecouncil’srulingcabinetwilldiscussproposals to cut the current £22.50 charge for six items to £10.

The price drop is part of a series of proposals drafted for the 2020/21 revenue budget.

Italsocomesastheauthorityfacescontinuedbudgetpressures and uncertainty around future government funding, with £315 million in savings already made since 2010.

“One of the areas we’ve had a lot of complaints over is the cost of the bulky waste charge andthatpeoplegenuinelycan’t afford it,” council leader, Coun Graeme Miller, said.

“Ihavedecidedthatwecan’t ignore that because if it’s adding to our fly-tipping problem we’re not saving any money by having this charge, it’s a questionable grey area because we don’tknowwhetherthefly-tipping would occur anyway.

“But we have to try and make it more cost-effective for residents, you’re still going to get the full six item collection for[£10]andI’mhopingpeople see that we’re genuinely trying to be helpful.

“If we had more money it wouldn’t be £10, it would be nothing, which is what it was before austerity kicked in and we had to start charging for things that we used to do for free. This is the council doing what it can given the budget and where it is, and I’m hoping residents will be very pleased with that.”