Move to scrap Wolverhampton garden waste collections criticised

Wolverhampton City Council asked for opinions on its decision, set to save £80,000 a year, to stop emptying green bins between December and the end of March.

But the plan was criticised by some residents on the council's own Facebook page, with calls for a reduction in their council tax bills and concerns about people who did not have cars to take their rubbish to the tip.

The scaling back of collections comes as the council has to save £123 million over five years and is axing 2,000 jobs.

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On its Facebook page Wolverhampton Today, the city council said: "This is because 87 per cent of garden waste is collected during the spring, summer and early autumn - hardly anything is collected during the winter. Let us know what you think - is this a sensible move at a time of austerity or not?"

But resident Steph Harris asked: "Does that mean we get reduced council tax for those months too?"

And Kevin Short said: "Why don't you get rid of some higher management and stop using agency labour? Might even hit your £123m savings then. "I have leaves all over my garden and don't drive so how will I get them to the tip? I know, get on the bus with them! Also while I am having a rant why can't I put black bags in my black bin?"

He later questioned how much the public could influence the council, saying: "They have made their mind up, that's what they are doing. And no matter what anyone says it's gonna happen. I must have missed the letter telling me Wolves council had become a dictatorship."

Leanne Chum Hadley criticised the length of time the service would be stopped.

She said: "End of November to February, yes. Till March is a long time especially if you have to keep on top of fallen leaves or masses of hedge like me and my neighbours.

"The amount of fallen leaves are ridiculous. What are we supposed to do when the green bin is full? Not all of us have cars to get to the tip."

And Connor Green said: "We should have reduced tax for those months. I use my green bin to empty the shavings and waste from my ferret pen. I need to have it emptied."

However Steph Clarke said the cuts to green waste would help avoid cuts elsewhere.

"I'd much prefer to lose my green bin collection than see more cuts to adult social care and children's services," she said. "In fact I'd gladly move to fortnightly connections throughout the year for all rubbish if the money saved went to the city's youths."

Councillor John Reynolds, Wolverhampton City Council's cabinet member for city services, said: "People are aware that huge Government cuts are forcing us to make difficult decisions that we'd rather not have to do.

"We have to make savings across the council and because use of the green bins drops so dramatically over winter, we've reluctantly decided to stop the service between December and March.

"People will still be able to take their garden waste to our two household waste and recycling centres at Shaw Road and Anchor Lane through the winter."