CONTROVERSIAL waste reforms which include charging £40-per-year for green bin collections have been given the go ahead by councillors.

Cheshire West and Chester convened a special in person meeting of Full Council on Tuesday evening at Chester Racecourse Pavilion to discuss a new 10-year waste strategy, which has been a source of huge division between the authority’s Labour and Conservative groups.

The plans include:

  • Household waste collected fortnightly using a 180-litre wheeled bin (as per the current arrangement).
  • Two larger capacity recycling bins on wheels collected fortnightly to replace existing 55-litre boxes.
  • Food collections weekly using existing small food bin (as per the current arrangement).
  • A chargeable, £40-per-year fortnightly garden waste collection to be provided between March and November.

The main source of controversy has been the £40 garden waste charge.

At the meeting, members of the Labour group argued that garden waste collection is not a statutory service - meaning the council is not legally obliged to provide it - adding that a number of other authorities, including some Conservative councils, already impose such a charge.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s cabinet member for environment, highways and strategic transport, Cllr Karen Shore, told the meeting: “The current strategy has not been reviewed since 2002 and it’s not fit for purpose in a changing world.”

She added: “Labour has had to make tough decisions to compensate for failing Tory privatisation, these tough decisions include charging for a non-statutory service in order to sustain the overall waste management service going forward.”

But Conservatives branded it a ‘stealth tax’ and said residents had already been hit by successive council tax rises in recent years. Concerns were also raised about affordability and that it could result in an increase in fly tipping. They tabled a motion calling for the plans to be called back to cabinet, but that was rejected in a vote.

Cllr Mark Williams (Conservative) said: “This administration is not listening. "The feedback from my residents is that they’ve had a council tax increase year-after-year and you’re still going to raise a bin tax.

“I’ve talked to some very elderly residents and there’s some real poverty out there. Some tell me that a third of their pension goes towards council tax.”

Cllr Shore said support would be put in place for those who could not afford to pay.

The arrangements for the meeting had been almost as divisive as the waste policy itself.

The vote had been due to take place almost two weeks ago at a virtual council meeting – which have been running for the last 16 months – but eight Conservative councillors called for an in-person meeting to specifically discuss the waste issue, with the Chester Racecourse venue being hired at a cost of £6,000 to provide for adequate social distancing.

The motion was passed with 36 voting in favour and 33 against. The green waste charges are due to be introduced next March.