Weekly Wolverhampton bin collections 'to go by end of the year'
Weekly bin collections will be gone by the end of the year, warn council bosses, as their programme of cash-saving service cuts is stepped up.
Wolverhampton's decision-making cabinet has approved the switch to fortnightly bin collections to save almost £3 million by 2020.
They also gave the green light to the closure of both the Anchor Lane and Shaw Road tips to make way for a new central 'super tip', expected to be in place in the next 12 to 18 months.
Councillor Steve Evans, who oversees the service, said: "It's a very emotive subject but if the Government takes a significant amount of money off our yearly income, changes have to happen. It's not a decision we have taken lightly."
He said the council's hand was forced by a reduction of £175 million from central government in recent years.
In 2012 Councillor John Reynolds succeeded in winning a £2.5m grant from the government to help sustain weekly bin collections.
"Sadly that funding has ended," said Councillor Evans.
"Seventy-six per cent of other councils have already moved to fortnightly collections or are in the process of doing so.
"We have held out for a long time, but it's no longer possible. We were faced with the challenge of reducing the refuse and recycling budget by £2.9 million by 2019-2000."
When the option was put to the public as part of a 12-week consultation, which ended last month, the biggest response was the need for bigger bins.
In response the council is setting aside £500,000 to provide 20,000 240 litre bins and, for households of seven or more, 2,000 360 litre bins, which is the anticipated take-up.
Paper and plastics recycling collections, already fortnightly, will continue but the food waste service is to be dropped.
A fee of £35 a year will be charged to residents taking up a new 42-week garden waste collection service.
Residents who are on benefits will continue to receive the service for free but those on partial benefits will pay £17.50, or half the annual fee.
The council is considering opening a new central tip at East Park.
The decision is expected to be rubber-stamped at Wednesday's full council meeting.
