No plans for monthly waste collections, but it "remains an option"

A senior councillor has said there are no “current” plans to introduce monthly black bin collections in Powys.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, July 9) at a meeting of Powys County Council’s Economy, Residents and Communities scrutiny committee, councillors will discuss the findings of a consultation on proposals to shape the way waste, rubbish and recycling are dealt with in Powys for the next five years.

Known as the “sustainable resource strategy” the council held a public engagement exercise to gather the views of residents over a three-month period from January 10 to April 4.

But less than 200 people gave their views to the council.

One of the questions put to residents was around a potential move to monthly back bin collections by: “reducing the capacity and frequency of collections.”

121 of the respondents or 62.7% said they would be able to “cope” with this if it were implemented.

Reform UK’s Cllr Karl Lewis has asked for clarity around this issue.

Cllr Lewis (Llandinam with Dolfor) asked:  “Does the Liberal Democrat led administration intend to implement an increase in residual waste collection times from three weeks to four weeks at any point between now and the next full council elections in May 2027.”

In response, cabinet member for highways, transport and recycling, Liberal Democrat Cllr Jackie Charlton said: “There are no current plans to reduce the frequency of residual waste collections although it remains an option within our sustainable resource strategy which is due to be finalised shortly following the engagement exercise, we carried out earlier this year.

“We are following the Welsh Government’s blueprint for waste and recycling with our weekly collections of recycling and food waste and three weekly collections of residual waste.”

Research work conducted ahead of the strategy proposal said that 45% of the waste put into black bins “could” be recycled.

The council has said that it will be “increasing awareness and education to encourage” those that don’t recycle enough to do so.

And moving to a four-week collection cycle could be a consequence of not improving recycling rates.

Cllr Charlton said: “If all residents were to use the kerbside collection service that we provide to maximise their recycling there would be no requirement to reduce the frequency or capacity of residual collections.

“But there may be a requirement to take other measures if we are to achieve and maintain the Welsh Government’s statutory recycling targets.”

If the council fails to hit the 70% recycling target that came into force last year, they could be fined by the Welsh Government.

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service