Cheshire East Council has announced that in order to save money there will be no garden waste collections for four months.
Green wheelie bins, which are normally emptied every two weeks, will not be collected between 18th November 2013 and 14th March 2014.
During this period residents will need to compost their garden waste at home or take it to the local recycling centre in Knutsford - where permits may be required for large vehicles or trailers.
Councillor David Topping, Cheshire East Council Cabinet member in charge of the environment, said: "This Council is committed to working innovatively to be more effective and efficient and deliver real value for money for the taxpayers of Cheshire East.
"As only 10 per cent of garden waste is collected in the winter, there is far less need for this service then. This measure will save money and allow the Council to focus its resources where they are most needed.
"The changes outlined will save the authority more than £1m over the next four years. That is a lot of money – which the Council will now be able to use to focus on improving key winter services that really matter to local people, such as repairing potholes and gritting our roads.
"The Council's decision to suspend garden waste collections between 18 November 2013 and 14 March 2014 will save the authority £120,000 in the first year and up to £300,000 in future years.
"This is yet another example of our willingness to explore innovative ways of working, while remaining focused on the Council's values and ensuring residents receive high-quality, professional services."
As part of their efficiency programme, Cheshire East Council is also creating a wholly owned company from 1st April 2014 that will deliver environmental services such as bin collections and street cleaning.
A spokesperson said "The new company will give us the opportunity to explore innovative ways of working, while remaining focused on the Council's values and ensuring residents continue to receive a professional and undisturbed service."
Comments
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should reduce the amount recycling of food waste going into black bin (landfill) throughout the year, esp Xmas.
In addition to asking about savings, perhaps Lisa can ask about profit/loss CEC makes pa from recycling? Suggestion is Councils make an overall profit from selling resultant compost from green recycling.
Efficiency savings are about doing the same work for less money - not doing less work for the same money to us.
And who believes these savings will actually be passed onto road gritting and maintenance? No, me neither. How about just getting rid of the CEC "Spokesperson" ie PR man instead? Now that would be a real saving.
"A spokesperson for Cheshire East Council said .... this measure will save money and allow the Council to focus on improving winter services like gritting and road maintenance."
So, the bin lorries will stand idle and their operatives will be trained in road maintenance (I understand that some of them already drive the gritters, on overtime). Or will the refuse chaps be given zero-hours contracts?
Does this latest scheme make sense to anyone?
Local Conservatives should remember Phil Enstone's triumph in Dean Row 6 weeks ago.
Protesting about this latest announcement will sadly not have the slightest effect upon CEC, only the ballot box will have the desired result.
This week we learn that Lyme Green will cost circa £2 million and now this!
Middle of December until the end of February would be a much more sensible period.
All that will happen is that residents (and especially people's paid gardeners who have to pay to dispose of leaves) will just blow more leaves onto the highways, causing a hazard (where they will have to be collected by CEC as there is a legal obligation on them to keep road clear), also blocking drains (which will then need to be unblocked by CEC) and causing hazards to pedestrians.
Also for those who are keen gardeners, and already compost domestically, towards the end of the year there are many items that do need to be disposed of, such as woody off-cuts and bulky roots of plants like tomatoes, that cannot be readily composted in a domestic environment.
And will it even save the costs that CEC claim?
"Three top council officers who quit their jobs in the wake of the Lyme Green fiasco received a total payout of nearly £120,000.
"This comes on top of the £93,250 termination payment paid previously to former chief executive Erika Wenzel."
The figures have been revealed in Cheshire East Council’s 2012-13 statement of accounts."
Spot the anomaly?
Cheshire east will then willingly send somebody to clean up at no charge to yourself, just as they have done in the past with travellers and just as they will again at Earls road.
Its a simple solution and your garden tidy-up is done too!
Thanks Cheshire East -for nothing.