Missed bin collections in Cheshire East almost trebled last year, writes Ethan Davies.
A Freedom of Information request to the council showed 21,340 collections were missed in 2019-20, compared to 7,182 the year before.
That year also saw the council’s spend on collecting residential waste rise by £1 million to £11.3 million — the year in which CEC ‘reconfigured’ collections.
Cllr Laura Crane, CEC cabinet member for highways and waste, said: “We are pleased with the substantial transition that occurred in November 2019 when almost all routes across the borough were reconfigured.
“The reconfiguration of routes will deliver significant financial and environmental efficiencies as we seek to increase recycling and drive down distances travelled by our vehicles.
“These efficiencies will be reflected in our accounts going forward.
“As a result of the transition we were able to accommodate the introduction of food waste collections in the garden bin from January 2020, which has resulted in recycling rates well above the national target.
“Residents have already received the benefits of the transition through having an expanded collection service and a more efficiently run collection fleet.”
Since 2015-16, when spending collections was just £8.9 million, the number of collections per missed bin has steadily fallen.
In 2015-16, 2,411 bins were successfully collected for every missed one — that decreased to 2,010 in the next year, and again to 1,691 in 2017-18.
A total of 1,845 bins were collected for every missed one in 2018-19, and reached a low-point in 2019-20 with just 663.
For all the latest council advice on bin collections, check CEC’s website.
most of my neighbours bins are not totally full, I would consider it rude to expect a bin emptied with such a small amount in it, it takes just as long to empty a full bin as it does with one small bag in it, some folk never consider others
What do you expect from Labour other than increased costs and poorer services?
As much as I hate Labour and would not vote for them CEC have improved slightly since the Conservatives lost control of it.