South Holland will have wheelie bins as a host of changes were voted through last night (Thursday, June 26).
The district council’s Cabinet voted to have black bins collected every other week in between separate collections for dry recyclables and paper and card. Food waste will be collected every week.
Coun Jim Astill, the portfolio holder for environmental services, gave the meeting an idea of how it would work stating that in a typical month:
- Food waste would be collected from a ‘caddy’ on weeks one, two, three and four;
- Week one would see the 240 litre bin dry recycling collection;
- Week two would be a black bin collection;
- Week three would be a 240 litre bin collection;
- Week four would be a black bin collection.
An initial £3.1m is set to purchase the required vehicles and bins with further spends proposed over several years, though the financial aspects will have to be voted through by the Full Council.
Coun Astill told the meeting that he believed it would save the authority around half a million pounds every year to the service which currently costs it £5.2m per annum.
That’s before he warned that central government had threatened to financially punish councils not meeting recycling targets.
“If we choose to do nothing there’s a risk someone from government will come along with a clipboard and say ‘South Holland your service isn’t effective and efficient so we’re going to decide what your collection regime is’,” he said. “By making the changes now, we’re in control.”
He continued: “Yes, the Environment Act is dictating we should do these, but however working with the team, it’s quite clear our service isn’t particularly effective, isn’t particularly efficient at the minute and it’s likely we’d be making some changes to the regime anyway.”
Responding to questions Coun Astill said that ‘Assisted Waste Collections’ for those who currently get assistance to put out their rubbish, would continue to be an option.
The meeting was also told that those that aren’t able to have bins on their property may be able to continue with bags.
Council leader Nick Worth, who called the decision ‘the most difficult in his 26 years as a councillor’ said that, because a number of authorities were ordering new collection vehicles due to incoming legislation, there was a long wait for orders, in which time the authority would look to work with residents on the proposals.
There’s no timescale, but the meeting was told the district council is likely to miss the March 2026 deadline the government says food waste collections should be in place. Waiting times were usually about ’12 to 18 months’ for new vehicles, Coun Worth added.
Coun Astill said: “Changes to the waste collection model is likely to be the most significant change to this authority during its 51-year lifetime.
“As councillors occasionally we have to make difficult and unpopular decisions, and I acknowledge that those who want to keep bags will feel upset.”
Speaking of the initial costs and yearly savings, he continued: “This should be seen as an invest-to-save opportunity.”
He said this was due to the fewer vehicles needed, the likelihood of less missed collections and that it would be less strain on the workforce than bags.
Coun Astill also said there could be scope for larger bins for those that need them and shared bins for communal properties like flats.
He said there are no plans for a ‘side waste’ policy. That’s something adopted by some local authorities that they won’t collect rubbish left next to the bin or collect the bin at all if it won’t close.
Having smaller bins was Coun Astill’s preferred option, he told the Cabinet, but other councillors had argued for the larger 240-litre ones.
He also addressed the survey carried out last year, but said that ‘only one question remains at the forefront of discussion’ referring to the 51 per cent of respondents who wanted to keep bags.
He outlined that 52 per cent wanted fortnightly waste collections and 79 per cent supported increased recycling.
“I would like to assure residents and cabinet that I have considered all of their feedback (including that from the consultation),” he said. “I believe the recommendations will enable the council to deliver a service to residents which is effective, efficient and meets the Environment Act legislation.”
All members of the cabinet voted in favour of the proposals apart from Coun Gary Taylor who abstained.
“We need to recycle more and need to embrace food waste,” he said. “We need to be more effective and efficient regarding the system.
“But the positive of the current system is that when the bags are cleared the streets are clean and tidy.
“I’m not happy with bins. I don’t believe we can argue the wheelie bin improves the street scene.”
The leader of the main opposition party, South Holland Independents’ Paul Barnes, was among those invited to ask questions. Among those he asked were why the decisions was being made by the Executive and not the Full Council.
Coun Worth responded: “We operate on a cabinet model and under the constitution that makes this an executive decision. We’re here as part of the process to make difficult decisions. The financial aspects will go through Full Council.”
Responding to another question, Coun Astill also said the authority had looked at evidence from other authorities that had transitioned to bins and told the meeting ‘there was no evidence’ it had led to an increase in fly-tipping.
South and East Lincolnshire Partnership officer Matt Fisher spoke of how wheelie bin collections work in SHDC’s partners Boston and East Lindsey: “The most important thing is our engagement with residents. They need to be aware of the rules though they currently haven’t been decided.”
On worries over wind blowing empty bins around, Mr Fisher said those on the bin lorries were encouraged to leave them lying horizontal on particularly windy days to limit movement.
On those sites that might have more waste he said: “We look at the property size and we can give them different sized containers. If there’s four flats in a building we’d how much waste we may expect them and provide one bigger bin.
“That will make it more efficient and effective for the crews to collect and it will be easier for residents.”
South Holland District Council has launched a Frequently Asked Questions section on waste on its website which can be viewed here.
