Fortnightly bin collections to remain in Nuneaton & Bedworth

[dutchman]

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council will not be applying for cash from a government `pot’ to bring back a weekly bin collection for household waste.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has announced that money is still available from a £250 million fund which has had a lukewarm reception from local authorities.

The project has been set up for councils who want to introduce, retain or reinstate weekly food waste bin collections.

But they are only eligible for a share of the cash if their household waste collections are supplemented by a separate collection of recyclables at least once a fortnight.

Eric Pickles said: “This scheme will literally help `stop the rot.’ Over the last decade we have witnessed a massive decline in the number of households getting weekly collections.

“This has meant that an increasing number of people are having to store food waste and nappies for up to two weeks.”

But Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has recently streamlined its waste and recycling collection operation from a `confusing’ service which included different coloured boxes as well as bins.

That has been welcomed by householders in the two towns and council leader Dennis Harvey said: “We shall not be going back to the old bin collection scheme.

“Our new system of alternate week collections means that everyone in the borough has a bin collected once a week. One week recycling waste is collected and the following week the remaining waste is collected.”

Cllr Harvey added: “Feedback from our residents about the new scheme has been extremely positive and the new system has dramatically increased recycling rates.”

Councils who do want a share of the £250 million fund have just a month and a half - until March 16 - to submit an expression of interest.