15th November 2017

By Anne North

A final decision to scrap weekly dustbin collections will be taken in February, Cornwall councillors heard this afternoon (Wednesday.)

Councillor Sue James, the portfolio holder responsible, said the final decision would be taken by the 10-member cabinet.  This means that the 113 other councillors will not be able to vote down the proposal, which in the past has proved controversial.

The first signs of division appeared this afternoon when cabinet member Andrew Mitchell said he could not support the change.  "I believe the status quo is still an option," he said.  Today's meeting was the first time the issue had come to a vote, with the cabinet supporting the well-trailed proposals by 9 votes - 1.  Questions from other councillors suggested that support for dropping weekly bin collections was much more qualified, outside the cabinet.

The cabinet’s “provisional" decision is to make dustbin collections fortnightly, while increasing the rate of recycling collections from fortnightly to weekly.  At the same time, the council aims to introduce a new food waste collection service.

The change anticipates a new waste disposal contract which will come into effect in 2020.