CHESHIRE West and Chester Council plans to make changes to the waste collection and recycling service has divided opinion.

Last week, one reader, CJ Moore, shared her thoughts on the proposed changes, imploring councillors to 'listen to sense and reject the degradation of what has been a really great service'.

Now CWAC's deputy leader, Cllr Karen Shore, who is also the cabinet member for environment, highways and strategic transport, has responded to the letter.

Cllr Shore said: "I would like to reassure your correspondent that the council and its partners are committed to providing a cost-effective modern waste collection and recycling service, based on fairness, choice and the need to respond to the challenges of Climate Change. 

"The current waste strategy was developed almost 20 years ago. I think we can all agree that the world is now a very different place. We need our Waste Management Strategy to reflect this.

"The need for us to act on the issues around global warming has become ever more pressing. We must do all we can to mitigate the effects of climate change for future generations. It may sound dramatic, but the stakes really are that high.

"Through the declaration of our Climate Change Emergency, we have given the commitment to make our borough carbon neutral by 2045. This is not a commitment we take lightly.

"To achieve this goal, we all must play our part. We must reduce the amount of the waste we produce, and we must recycle more. Our new Waste Management Strategy reflects these priorities and provides us with the road map to achieve them. 

"Through our consultation exercise earlier in the year we asked everyone in the borough to give us their views on the future of the waste and recycling service in our borough.

"We developed the options for consultation by working in partnership with focus groups and the process was overseen and scrutinised by a cross-party group of council members. 

"We did not include a ‘no change’ option because frankly, doing nothing is not an option. We did however include various ‘free text’ areas within the consultation for people to provide us their feedback and ideas – all of which has been analysed and considered in detail by the council.

"The responses we received showed us that people in our borough wanted more opportunities to reduce the amount of waste they produce and more opportunities to recycle.

"The new Waste Management Strategy reflects this by providing our residents with bigger recycling bins in place of the boxes and continued frequent collections.

"We understand concerns around the move from two recycling boxes to two larger recycling bins, however, continuing the separation of materials to minimise contamination increases their recyclability, therefore minimising the waste that needs to be processed through incineration which has a huge environmental impact.

"Changing national requirements from government mean that going forwards even more materials will need to be collected for recycling - the new bins we are providing will ensure everyone has the space that is required for this.

"As well as providing a service that is fit for the times we live in, we must provide the best value for money for the council taxpayers of the borough. 

"The council is facing unprecedented pressure on its finances. Over the next four years, we face a funding gap of more than £83m.

"Our budget earlier this year reflected the need to continue to invest in vital social care services for children and older people within our community. Services we must provide and services that people rely upon.

"Clearly, tough decisions have to be made and we must identify savings wherever we can. We know that introducing a charge for the garden waste collection service would not be popular with some and it is not a decision we have taken lightly. 

"What we are doing is introducing the element of choice into the service. People can choose to sign up for the collection service or they can choose to make alternative arrangements. Is it right that those residents who do not generate garden waste continue to subsidise those who do? 

"We understand that the current free fortnightly service is well used by some, however, not all people are regularly presenting the bins to be emptied and not all bins are full – but collection vehicles must be out on the roads regardless, which has a significant carbon impact.

"A subscription service will help us plan collections in line with demand and take numerous large collection vehicles off the roads. When we collect garden waste it must be treated before it can be recycled.

"This comes at a net cost to the council, rather than making an income/surplus. This must be factored into the overall decision around continuing to offer a free universal service.

"Many other councils across the country already charge for garden waste collections, including our near neighbours. 

"In those areas, the move has not been met with an epidemic of fly-tipping. We do not believe the residents of our borough, who have already shown a tremendous commitment towards recycling, will buck this trend. 

"By introducing a nominal £2 charge per collection, we hope to cover the costs incurred and protect other vital council services. 

"We have put forward our proposed new strategy, which will be debated by the full council in July.

"We want to continue to work with our residents throughout this process and beyond. We want people to join us on this journey. We want to share the ambition to make Cheshire West and Chester a greener and safer place for generations to come. 

"You can find out all about it through the council’s website."

Have your say: Send your letters and club news to northwich@guardiangrp.co.uk