Christmas waste collection changes bewildered Rugby residents

And the award for understatement of the year goes to Rugby Borough Council after its festive arrangements caused widespread bewilderment around the area.

The reactions from Advertiser readers found some getting their bins delivered according to that new schedule but many others finding bins were not being collected when expected and the rubbish piling up, especially with the extra burden of the food waste triggered by the green bin suspension.

Some put their bins out on what they thought was the right day only for nothing to happen and some left them out permanently in the hope that one day their bin collecting prince would indeed call.

This new Christmas party game was unveiled in early October when the council announced green bins were being suspended.

It said then: “The pause in the collection service is to allow the council to maintain black bin collections for all households over the Christmas period, as Christmas falls within the black bin cycle for the first time this year.”

The plan at that stage was to suspend green bins for three months and save £25,000 – a situation which has since changed, meaning green bins will be coming back later this month.

This will mean a new calendar of bin collections being handed out to every household on next week’s collections, hopefully putting an end to the recent confusion.

In the meantime, blue-lid recycling bins will continue to be collected fortnightly, on residents’ normal collection weeks.

Before the changes come into effect, black bins are being collected in the current week and in week beginning January 16.

From January 23, households can all switch to the waste collection calendar for what goes out when.

The changes have been fronted by portfolio holder for environment and public realm Cllr Lisa Parker.

It was she who acknowledged there had been someconfusion.

She said those opening words: “The changes to the Christmas waste collection schedule were publicised to all residents before Christmas - nevertheless they will have caused some disruption and inconvenience.

And she added: “It is important that residents look out for their new calendar and also continue to follow the schedule that was delivered to them and published on the council website – the schedule has not changed and we are continuing to collect rubbish and recycling as planned.

“This week we will collect black bin waste from all households, and the blue bin collections are continuing fortnightly. If you didn’t have a blue bin collection last week you will be due one this week.”

More information on changes to the waste collection schedule can be found at www.rugby.gov.uk/recycling

The separate consultation on how much people are prepared to pay for green bins ended on Tuesday.