Summary of Bins Meeting with the Council

Representatives of BRA and HGRA met with Council officials on 18th January to express the concerns we had and the queries we had received from residents about the Council’s new waste management strategy. This was chaired by Annie Baker , Assistant Director, Street Environmental Services who is responsible for the rollout. Stephen Cowan, our ward councillor and the Leader of the Council also attended, with others.  

The Council’s strategy includes the provision of new black and green bins to households, but only where these are considered appropriate, to replace plastic bag collections, both the black sacks for general waste and clear branded bags for recyclables. 

Of particular note is the additional provision of a food waste bin and caddy for in-house storage of food waste which is part of a new initiative to increase recycling across the borough. 

Many residents have previously raised concerns about foxes and other vermin biting and clawing into black sacks and littering the unhygienic contents all over the pavements. The provision of food waste bins is intended to prevent this and is we believe to be generally welcomed. Many people who have written to us are supportive of this proposal.

Implementing reinstated collections of garden waste which many residents have also requested are still being thought through and details of these should follow at a later stage.

Where properties are deemed not to have sufficient or suitable level external space to accommodate the new black and green bins, then, for those properties, bag collections will continue. 

Home owners and residents with existing bins will be asked to exchange these for the new bins so that they can be emptied by machine hoists attached to the waste collection vehicles. 

The Council have also entered into a new contract with a new waste contractor, Veolia, who are jointly implementing the transition with the Council and who are operating the new vehicles which are required and fitted with bin hoists.

Increasing recycling should also reduce the costs of the waste management service over time and help the council to deal with considerable future funding challenges. 

The Council are also currently investigating suitable alternative bin sizes so that some residents who have existing bin stores are still able to accommodate a new wheeled bin. However any new bin stores will still need to meet the planning rules for the conservation area and will need to remain no more than one metre in height and any resident wishing to build a bin store must still seek and obtain permission.

One size of bin will not be made to fit all and the Council are being flexible on this provided bins are suitable for the vehicle hoists.

The Council are also aware of the issues affecting properties occupied by multiple households and will work through with residents the best arrangements to suit their needs.

Delivery of the new bins will be announced beforehand and residents forewarned. The Council will also hold some public drop in sessions to make time available to address residents further questions. 

In essence their strategy is to encourage a trial of the new bins. Residents are being asked when bins are delivered to try out the new arrangements and then to speak to council officials via a dedicated helpline to raise queries or request alternatives. No one will be expected to endure an unsuitable arrangement and the Council want to work through this carefully with residents.

The space available and suitability of a property to have the new/replacement bins will be assessed on the day of delivery. Considerations would include the amount of available space but also if surface treatments would be suitable for operatives wheeling bins over. Gravel paths or forecourts might preclude this for example.

If a front garden is fully planted and landscaped the Council is not expecting residents to have to make modifications to accommodate the new bins unless they want to do so. 

In addition to having this meeting we have requested a walk around of the area to further clarify the potential issues with council representatives with the aim of identifying any common problems before the actual rollout. This is still to be arranged. 

The Council have agreed to remove existing bins free of charge if that is what residents want. However waste operatives will not be equipped in future to deposit waste from non standard wheeled bins into the lorries as they would not fit the automatic hoists. Residents wishing to retain existing non standard bins may be expected to remove waste and place it into sacks as the alternative.

We will communicate further when we have more information and a precise date for the start of the rollout to the Brackenbury area.