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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Travellers must have cost a fortune what with clean ups and court fees. Now we pay.
Don't be silly!
Your observations regarding the starting of a new company are so true.Passing traditional council work to the private sector only increases costs to the rate payer. Can they clearly show,by audit, that there are genuine savings without effecting services over a long term period.
Somehow I think not.
be Friday 8 November.The leaves do not finish falling until late November
or even early December so the cut-off date chosen by the Council is far
too early.
Any chance of a rethink!!?
Just as everything stops growing or goes dormant for the winter,right on time for major cutting back and serious clearing of gardens and veg plots the collections stop.
Would it not be a good idea to trim the service in late Spring and Summer when everything has been planted and is growing strongly and little waste is created?
OK so fewer people use the service, therefore it must be quicker to do the collections - so do a 2 or 3 day week.
This gives those of us who unfortunately have to work for a living two weekends notice to clear up the garden, prune the trees and bushes, cut the lawn, empty the greenhouse, which is still producing tomatoes, and all before the leaves start falling. Not really practical, is it? Is there anybody at CEC capable of thinking, who can act with the ratepayers in mind? I think not. On both counts.
Doesn't anyone intend to pick up leaves or tidy their gardens until the middle of March 2014?
In reply to my email to them, Cheshire East have said "Suspending the garden waste collection service is a regular occurrence in Cheshire East and is common practice amongst other local authorities".
A quick internet search does not support this, in fact Manchester City collect every 2 weeks until March 2014 and then resume weekly collections and Cheshire East only suspended collections for 7 weeks last year whilst they collected the black bins weekly. I don't think a 14 mile round trip to my "local" recycling centre is acceptable - what do the other Alderley residents think?