The council has approved proposals to move residual waste collection services to three-weekly across the borough…
Oldham is set to join a number of councils across Manchester that have moved to three-weekly waste collection services.
The council’s cabinet approved proposals to change the frequency of residual waste collection services to three-weekly during a meeting on 27 June. Ahead of the meeting, the local authority published the ‘Waste management options report’, which discussed the reasons behind the need for a change. This included the cost of disposal and financial pressures on council budgets.
Changes will come into play from the 3 October, with residual waste collections moving from fortnightly to three-weekly and food and garden waste remaining weekly. Recycling collections will occur on the weeks when the residual waste is not collected. The council hopes these changes will also increase recycling rates by 12 per cent and reduce the amount spent on waste disposal by as much as £3m over the next two years.
Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and co-operatives Councillor Barbara Brownridge said: “Due to government funding cuts over the last few years Oldham council has had to change the way our frontline services work.
“These changes to our waste collection service are the latest but we are confident they will continue to provide value for money.
“Over the next few years we want to see to our recycling rates increase so we don’t have to pay huge financial penalties. By cutting disposal costs we’ll be helping to save council tax payers’ money, which can be used on other essential public services.
She added: “Over the next two years the council needs to make £37m worth of savings. Making these changes will help avoid further costs putting even more pressure on the Council’s budget. Doing nothing is not an option.”
