Green bin collections to restart by the end of January

Green bin waste collections will restart immediately after planned changes to waste collection rounds are completed, thanks to an innovative partnership agreement between Rugby Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council.

All households will receive a collection in the weeks beginning 23 or 30 January – depending on their collection round – which is around a month earlier than planned. The council will deliver waste collection calendars to residents in the week beginning 9 January 2017.

The agreement follows discussions between the authorities led by the borough council’s cross-party Waste Management Services working party, a meeting of which was attended by county council representatives earlier this month (December).

Green bin collections were suspended by Rugby Borough Council so that every household could have black refuse collections over the Christmas period, and to allow the council to reconfigure waste collection rounds to make them more efficient.

The agreement will see Warwickshire County Council provide a partnership grant of £25,000 to fund some of the changes, giving Rugby Borough Council sufficient funding to restart green bin collections earlier.

Cllr Lisa Parker, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for environment and public realm, and chair of the cross-party Waste Management Services working party, said: “I would like to thank Warwickshire County Council’s representatives for their contribution to the working party, and in particular for recognising the long-term benefits of remodelling our waste collection rounds during the suspension period.

“This agreement demonstrates that the working party is able to make a real difference to services that affect residents, and I would urge all councillors to support its work.”

Cllr Jeff Clarke, Warwickshire County Council portfolio holder for environment and Chair of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership, said: “It is fantastic that, through effective partnership working arrangements, Rugby’s green waste collection can continue after the festive period.

“Encouraging residents to put their food waste in their green wheeled bin instead of their dustbin has been generating huge savings in disposal costs since it was introduced and there is the potential to save another £1 million a year across Warwickshire.”

More information on waste collection schedules is available at www.rugby.gov.uk/recycling.

Food waste and garden waste should be placed in the green bin until collections restart, or garden waste can be composted or taken to one of the Warwickshire County Council-run tips. Black bins containing garden waste will not be emptied.

The borough council’s Waste Management Services working party will make recommendations on future changes to waste management services, including the possibility of charging for garden waste collections, in time for all councillors to consider when setting the council’s budget for the next financial year.