Bulky and DIY waste consultation
Feedback updated 10 Feb 2017
We asked
For your views on changing some free services to charged-for services as a way to make savings, and how these changes might affect you.
You said
We received 201 responses:
27% of respondents thought that the Council should consider introducing a charge for bulky waste collections to make savings.
36% of respondents thought that the Council should consider a charge for DIY waste to make savings.
192 responses were received about achieving savings by other means, including but not limited to, alternate weekly or fortnightly collections, reducing the free bulky waste collections allowance, limiting the number of free tips at the Household Waste Recycling Centres and increasing enforcement to generate revenue through fines.
We did
A paper containing the consultation results will be presented to the Council’s Executive to consider whether to introduce charges.
Overview
The city council's financial position is exceptionally severe as a result of the Government's spending cuts. The grant we receive from the Government has fallen by almost 50% since 2010 (after allowing for inflation) and further cuts have been announced for the next three years.
When we set the budget in February 2016, we estimated we would need to make further cuts of £55m by 2019. This is on top of the £100 million of savings we have already made.
Whilst we are taking every step we can to deliver services more efficiently, cuts of this scale are inevitably leading to reductions in what we can do. We are consulting with the public about bringing in charges for some aspects of the waste management service we currently provide free to householders.
Bulky Waste
The council provides a bulky item collection service to householders in Leicester city. The service is currently free to householders up to certain limits, and there are charges for frequent use of the service or having lots of items collected at once. Providing the collection service currently costs the council over £360,000 per year. The majority of councils do not offer free bulky waste collection.
We are considering charging for this service. Householders would still be able to take the majority of their bulky waste items free of charge to the Household Waste Recycling Centres.
DIY Waste
The council currently operates two Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) where householders can dispose of and recycle household waste. We are able to charge for accepting some DIY waste materials (such as wood, plasterboard and rubble) rather than accepting them free of charge, as at present.
Accepting wood, plasterboard and rubble free of charge at the HWRCs costs the council £200,000 per year. We are considering charging for accepting these types of materials.
Find out more about our recycling and waste services on our website.
Why your views matter
We need to find out the public's views on changing some free services to charged-for services as a way to make savings.
We need to find out how these changes might affect you.
We are also keen to hear suggestions about other ways we can make savings within waste services.
Areas
- All Areas
Audiences
- All residents
- All households
- Service users
Interests
- Refuse collection and disposal
- Neighbourhood services
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