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BLACK BIN CHANGES CONSULTATION - FINAL UPDATE!
Unfortunately despite our efforts to oppose the new proposals - it's bad news I'm afraid for Crewe. Black household waste bin collections are due to change from every 2 weeks to every 3 weeks from April 2026.
Thank you again to everyone who responded to my call for residents in St Barnabas to provide feedback to the Cheshire East consultation on the proposal from the council to cut black bin collections from every two weeks to every 3 weeks.
Of the 6,257 respondents, 84% opposed the proposal for three-weekly black bin collections.
A full report on the consultation is published here.
It's another example of our Labour led Council making poor decisions despite huge opposition to the proposals - pushing through initial plans instead of looking at feedback and proposing more suitable and cost effective solutions to collect food waste.
The decision was ultimately made by Councillors who are members of the environment and communities committee - with 7 Councillors voting for the proposal and 6 opposing.
During the meeting, concerns were raised about the impact on the elderly, people with medical needs, fly-tipping and the possible contamination of the grey recycling bins because of overflowing black bins.
There were fears raised too that the council might be acting too hastily, as last year the government launched a consultation which included draft guidance requiring councils to collect residual (black bin) waste each fortnight as a minimum.
Cllr Janet Clowes (Conservative) said: “My biggest concern is I’m not sure this is a risk we should be taking at this early stage of the current government…
“I would resent having to go through all that pain if, in the next 12 months, Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) come back and say we’ve looked at that piece of imminent legislation and actually we’re going to put a limit of two weeks on residual waste collection.”
Cllr Becky Posnett (Conservative) said: “I have enormous concerns over the paper that was presented [to the committee] because of the lack of detail.”
She added: “I’m going to keep it simple, on the fact that 84 percent of residents do not want this.
“I was voted for by residents, I represent residents and therefore I cannot support it.”
I clearly don't support it either. It's disappointing that the points that both myself and residents raised were ignored.
Perhaps sense will be seen to reverse this decision before April 2026?
In the meantime I will persevere with my efforts working with both Cheshire East Council, Crewe Town Council as well as ANSA and local housing providers to continue to tackle the fly tipping and waste issues that affect many streets and residents of Crewe St Barnabas. |
