Wheelie expensive bins

Cheshire East Council has announced it is to introduce a charge for the supply of new and replacement waste and recycling bins.

The proposal was accepted, subject to consultation, at a meeting of full council in February 2018. The extensive public consultation took place between March and May 2018.

The charge for the supply of new and replacement standard 240-litre household bins will be £30 each for recycling, black residual and garden waste bin and £25 for a smaller-sized 140-litre residual, recycling and garden bin.

A 25 per cent concessionary rate will apply to residents on qualifying benefits, while any bins broken during the collection process will be replaced free of charge.

In the first instance of a bin being lost or stolen, a replacement will be provided free of charge but, if this recurs within three years, a charge will be made.

Councillor Glen Williams, Cheshire East Council deputy cabinet member for environment, said: “The council spent £300,000 on supplying bins and a further £64,000 for the delivery and administration of bins in 2017/18.

“With an ongoing reduced budget position and in order to continue to provide this service across the borough, it is necessary to start charging for the service to provide and deliver bins to properties.

“As has been the case in other local authority areas, our new bin charging policy will also have the added benefit of encouraging residents to take greater responsibility for their bins, as well as help to reduce demand for replacements in the future.”

New bins will be marked to identify them to a property to which they belong.

The council is advising householders, who have not already marked their existing bins, to do so with their door number and street name on the outside of each bin.

Charges for new and replacement bins will come in to effect from October 2018.