Cheshire East will charge for residents needing larger black bin

The £56 garden waste charge, which is due to be introduced in January, will inevitably result in an increase in rubbish dumped in black bins.

The new charge has sparked an angry backlash from residents, with many saying they won’t be paying the annual fee and several taking to social media to vent their anger.

One posted: “That's my black bin getting topped up with food waste and grass clippings.”

Another said: “My black bin is mostly empty. Won’t be in the future.”

Cheshire East currently collects food waste in with its green waste which has left the council with a major headache because, legally, local authorities can’t charge to collect food waste.

For those who don't sign up for the garden waste collection, food waste will have to go in the black bin from January unless they home compost it.

For those who do sign up and pay for garden waste collection, the official line from the council is that food waste needs to go into your black bin - but Cheshire East has said it won’t fine residents who subscribe to the green waste collection scheme and continue to put food waste in their garden bin.

And council leader Sam Corcoran - stressing he was speaking on behalf of himself and not the council - told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) last month:  “I will be taking up the green waste bin subscription service and I intend to continue putting food waste into the green bin. I think this is an excellent service."

Cllr Sam Corcoran (Image: Cheshire East Council)

Some residents currently have small black bins and have asked if they will have to pay for a larger one if they feel they need it because of the changes.

The answer is, yes – and the charge for the delivery of a standard 240L black bin is £33.90.

Cllr Mick Warren (Ind), chair of the environment and communities committee, told the LDRS: “If a resident currently has a 140L bin and does request a larger 240L bin, there is a charge for this. Once their new bin arrives, their old bin will be taken away and recycled.”

Cllr Mick Warren (Image: Cheshire East Council)

He added: “The council’s waste strategy encourages residents to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste as much as they possibly can, so that less waste needs to be disposed of.

“This includes supporting the national Love Food Hate Waste programme. There are many quick and easy things we can all do to make the most of the food we buy and to reduce the amount we throw away.

“We also encourage people to try composting at home. It’s an excellent and environmentally-friendly way of transforming garden and kitchen waste into a valuable and nutrient rich food for people’s gardens, and there are many different things that can be composted.

“Our website has a beginner’s guide to composting, as well as lots more information available about reducing household waste.”

More information about reducing waste and recycling can be found on the council's  website.