Move to halt introduction of three-weekly black bin collections in Flintshire fails

A controversial move to introduce three-weekly black bin collections in Flintshire will go ahead as planned after a bid to stop it failed.

It follows a tense meeting of a backbench Flintshire Council committee over plans to collect general waste from residents once every three weeks instead of fortnightly.

More than 3,300 people signed a petition against the decision taken by members of the local authority’s Labour-led cabinet earlier this month.

It came after concerns were raised that it would have seen large piles of rubbish dumped in the streets, causing odour issues and attracting vermin.

Officers previously recommended a switch to monthly collections in an attempt to improve recycling rates in the county, with the threat of a seven-figure Welsh Government fine looming for repeatedly missing targets.

Council leader Ian Roberts tabled a late amendment to change the frequency to three weekly to try and reach a compromise.

However, opponents called the matter in to be discussed by the council’s environment and economy scrutiny committee today (Tuesday, 30 July) to try and make administration members reconsider.

Their bid to send it to a full council meeting to be examined failed after the vote was tied at five for and five against, with Labour committee chair David Evans using his deciding vote to ensure it was not referred back.

Among those who signed a call in notice were five former Labour councillors, who left the party in May due to concerns their opinions were being ignored.

Speaking at the start of the meeting, Alasdair Ibbotson from the Flintshire People’s Voice (FPV) group, said: “We have limited confidence in the modelling assessment for the reduction in the general waste stream as a result of moving to three weekly collections.

“We have limited confidence in the financial modelling and that the savings that cabinet has said will be achieved, actually will be achieved.

“We also do not believe the cabinet has done adequate consultation before making this decision.”

He added: “It will leave the people of Flintshire with a worse service for no good reason. That cannot be allowed to happen.

“The public have been very clear that they do not wish to see a reduction in the frequency of collections in Flintshire.”

The move to three-weekly collections was made following a warning that the local authority could be fined more than £1.2m for failing to meet the Welsh Government recycling target of 64 per cent for the last four financial years.

With a new goal of 70 per cent introduced this year, officers suggested switching to monthly collections to boost Flintshire’s recycling rate from just under 63 per cent to almost 69.

But cabinet members opted for a three-weekly service instead, despite being told it would only lift recycling rates to 66 per cent and increase the likelihood of penalties being imposed.

Cllr Roberts criticised the tone of the debate during the meeting and said both politicians and council officials had received abuse over the decision, with one senior officer even receiving a death threat.

He said: “Some of the language that’s been used in this debate concerns me very greatly and the social media storm that’s arisen because of this concerns me as well.

“Some councillors have been verbally abused in the street and on social media and are now not comfortable going out within their own communities. This is totally unacceptable.

“The chief officer here has received a death threat as part of the debate that went on.

“As members across this chamber, we should not be wantonly stoking this fire. This proposal is not life changing.”

Scrutiny committee members voted by six to five at the end of the meeting to accept the explanations provided for the decision, but not to endorse it.

The result is that the move to three weekly collections will proceed, with timescales to be announced at a later date.

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter