Listening Council To Reintroduce Weekly Residual Waste Collection

Published on 26 July 2006

Councillors and staff are working flat out to temporarily reintroduce weekly residual waste collection in wheelie bin areas of Epping Forest District. In response to residents concerns, weekly collections will recommence in mid-August and continue until the end of September when high summer temperatures are expected to be past their worst. The Council’s new Administration has also received approval to re-tender the full refuse, recycling and street cleansing service early next year, with invitations to quote on the basis of either a full return to weekly collection or at the very least a weekly summer collection.

“We have listened, debated and changed in reaction to public calls for weekly refuse collection” said Councillor Stephen Metcalfe, who took over responsibility for the Refuse Collection services following the local elections in May. He added “I have spoken to literally hundreds of people about this issue, all of whom fully back our recycling aims, but who could not understand why we were only collecting the rest of the rubbish every two weeks. Following last night’s meeting, and in the face of some opposition, I can now say to residents that this time next year you will have your residual waste collected every week, at least in the hot months of the summer.” He continued, “That is why we have decided to re-introduce a weekly collection for the remainder of this summer.”

Councillor Metcalfe set up a comments hot-line to receive the views of residents last month. As temperatures have risen, both he and Environmental Services have received increasing numbers of calls from residents concerned about smells, flies and maggots.

“We can reintroduce weekly collections temporarily for the rest of the summer. It will cost an extra £32,000 per week for the extra refuse crews, lorries and disposal fees but I believe we have to get our priorities right. Residents have given us a very clear message and it is essential that we respond positively.” said Councillor Metcalfe. “Weekly collection over the rest of the summer will help to address immediate concerns and any long term decision on weekly or other collection methods will become clearer as the Council obtains quotes for a new refuse contract.”

Councillor Metcalfe continued: “I have been very pleased with Cory Environmental’s efforts since taking over the contract but a new tender gives us the chance to explore fully the options of returning in part or full to a weekly collection service for residual domestic waste. I want to assure residents that we have listened to their concerns and promise that come this time next year the situation will have improved significantly.”

Councillor Metcalfe spent a morning working with refuse collectors emptying wheelie bins in Chigwell and Lambourne last month. He said: “Since taking responsibility in May I have tried to get the widest possible perspective of our waste collection service. As a resident and local businessman I know the refuse service from a customer perspective but I also have a much better appreciation of our refuse collectors who work incredibly hard doing a very difficult job. Whatever the problems with alternate weekly collection, we must not lose sight of the most important need to recycle more and send less to landfill as well as appreciating the fantastic job our refuse collectors do within the resources we give them.”

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