South Holland residents want more recycling and a mixture of bags and bins will be one of several options looked at.
That’s according to district council leader Nick Worth after the recent waste consultation results returned an ‘effectively split’ vote on whether to have wheelie bins with bi-weekly collections or keep the current weekly bin bag service going forward.
Of the 8,576 responses, 51 per cent of respondents wanted to keep bags while 49 per cent would like wheelie bins introduced, Coun Worth told South Holland District Council last week (Wednesday October 3).
He said the council would now work up ‘six or seven’ options on how to go forward stating a mixture of bags and bins would be one of the possible options from 2026.
“It’s by far the largest response to any consultation since I’ve been a councillor,” he told the full council meeting. “Although a minor victory for black bags, the result is effectively split.
“52 per cent of respondent said wheelie bins would not improve the service and 48 per cent said it would.
“Importantly though, 79 per cent said they wanted to do more recycling and they also said they’re satisfied with the service and there were many compliments for the collection teams.
“I’ve yet to see the full detailed report.
“No changes will take place until the statutory food collection comes in for 2026 and any changes will be gradually brought in after that.
“The reason for that is we need a long lead in time, because, as every council in the country is having to purchase new vehicles for this food waste scheme, the current time for purchasing vehicles is 11 months.
“There will now be an appraisal of the report and we’ve asked for at least six or seven costed options, looking for anything from bags as we do now, to a mixture of bags and bins, and a variety of other options so we could look at what vehicles are required to provide the maximum service along with the best option to increase recycling.”
Coun Worth stated that the full report, including possible options for the future of waste services, will go before councillors in November then go to Full Council in either December or January.
