Where will all the extra bins go?

12:22pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News By Echo Reporter

Luisa Castelbranco and her children Luisa Castelbranco and her children

“WHERE will all the bins go?”

That’s the question being asked in Southampton after a THIRD bin was unveiled to add to the two waste bins residents already have.

The new garden waste bin will cost up to £55 – but the price tag is not the only cause of growing complaints.

Residents are also questioning how they will walk down narrow pavements on collection days when the new green bin is added to existing recycling and general waste bins.

Up until now, residents have been able to dispose of their green waste for free by bagging it up and leaving it out on the pavement.

About 30,000 people have used the current service on a regular basis throughout peak summer months, while up to 5,000 people did so during the winter.

But the new scheme, which begins on April 1, will mean those wanting to continue recycling their garden waste will have to pay for a 240-litre or 360-litre bin.

The council estimates between 4,000 and 5,000 people will sign up for the new scheme – and it will save the authority £542,000 per year.

But the amount of green waste collected by the council will drop by about 3,000 tons a year, it is estimated.

For a year’s worth of collections, a 240-litre wheelie bin will cost £30 before March 31 or £35 after, while a 360-litre wheelie bin will cost £50 before March 31 or £55 after.

A subsidised home composter costing £5 will also be offered to the first 450 residents to request one by March 31.

Green collections will remain fortnightly, and will be provided for 48 weeks of the year, excluding the Christmas and new year period.

Resident Anne Edwards, from Cowley Close in Maybush, said: “I was horrified when I saw the collection was going to involve having a third wheelie bin.

“The city is crammed full of bins as it is and this is going to make the problem of where to put them so much worse.”

Robert Smith, of Maybush Road, added: “I’m not very happy about it. I feel that us residents are being used as a cash cow.”

James Phillipson, of Romsey Road, said: “It will become difficult for people to use the pavement when the bins are all out.

Mum-of-three Luisa Castelbranzo, also of Romsey Road, said: “I think it will make it difficult to go up and down the road when all the bins are out.”

“Lots of mums with pushchairs use this road to go to Regents Park School, and it will make it harder for them.”

The council’s Cabinet member for the environment, Asa Thorpe, said: “We want the green collection service to be a quality service. We are talking about 70p a week – that’s what the cost works out at with a proper bin and a discount.

“In the recent budget consultation, residents told us that they care most about libraries and youth services and so while we have sought to ensure that the new budget protects the most vulnerable in the city, we have had to make difficult decisions and cuts elsewhere.”

Responding to the clutter concerns, Cllr Thorpe said: “People can request bags. Where people live in certain types of houses where it might not be feasible for them to have bins, we have given them that choice.”

Jeremy Moulton, the deputy leader of the council’s Conservative opposition, said: “I think it is a disaster all-round. It’s a big cost for residents who are going to have to pay for these on top of all their other costs, and it’s going to clutter up a lot of pavements.”

Comments(33)

housewife says...
12:51pm Wed 6 Mar 13

As a regular user of the service,
this is a STUPID and retrograde move.
.
The unused bags fold up out of the way for the months and weeks you do not need them.
.
The wheelie bins will just clutter up streets and drives and all that will happen is people will put green waste in their normal rubbish
COSTING THE COUNCIL MORE in landfill taxes.
.
I'll just take my green sacks to the dump as and when.

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andre72 says...
12:55pm Wed 6 Mar 13

I don't think people actually appreciate how many different problems there were with the previous garden waste collection service. Missing and stolen bags, uncollected bags, dropped waste - there was a whole host of problems, and with a bin a lot of these problems will be alleviated. This article has neglected to mention that SCC is the last council in Hampshire, and one of the last in the country, to start charging for this collection, and if they didn't then there would be no service at all.

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andre72 says...
12:56pm Wed 6 Mar 13

And come on, "horror"? People need to weigh this up logically, and realise why it is being done and why it is not "horrific".

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-stiv- says...
1:15pm Wed 6 Mar 13

Maybe someone in the councils brother owns the factory where they make them or something.

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dango says...
1:25pm Wed 6 Mar 13

the story says you can still request a bag instead of a bin. So have a bag and stop whinging.

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micromark says...
1:39pm Wed 6 Mar 13

Why the fuss? It's only a bin. There are far more horrific things going on in the world than getting stressed over having an extra plastic bin in the garden. I'd rather pay for a garden bin to save me the effort of taking my green waste to the dump every fornight during the summer months.

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gillyman says...
1:48pm Wed 6 Mar 13

andre72 wrote:
I don't think people actually appreciate how many different problems there were with the previous garden waste collection service. Missing and stolen bags, uncollected bags, dropped waste - there was a whole host of problems, and with a bin a lot of these problems will be alleviated. This article has neglected to mention that SCC is the last council in Hampshire, and one of the last in the country, to start charging for this collection, and if they didn't then there would be no service at all.
i found most of the above problems occured due to lazy incompetant council operators just throwing bags wherever instead of where they picked them up

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southy says...
2:00pm Wed 6 Mar 13

Garden waste gets burned and put back in the ground here, or it left to rot then put back in the ground

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andre72 says...
2:02pm Wed 6 Mar 13

dango wrote:
the story says you can still request a bag instead of a bin. So have a bag and stop whinging.
No, you can't request a bag. Only certain properties (on a very short list of roads) will have bags instead of bins, which will also be charged. The vast majority of residents will have to have bins; there is no choice between them.

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andre72 says...
2:09pm Wed 6 Mar 13

southy wrote:
Garden waste gets burned and put back in the ground here, or it left to rot then put back in the ground
Contrary to popular belief, that is not how the SCC disposes of its garden waste. All of it is recycled, and turned into usable compost. One of the reasons bags are being faded out is because they can not be recycled and actually contaminate the garden waste; thus, the environmental implications are much better under the new scheme.

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Saintlygirl says...
2:10pm Wed 6 Mar 13

I don't often have garden waste - only in the summer when the grass is cut but paying £30 on top of £30 for the parking permit and 2% extra council tax is simply too much.

It's not a case of people being unnecessarily angry or upset, the cost of living and space is a big issue here.

I will NOT be paying for this if we have the choice and will definately opt for the bag; only if it's free!

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andre72 says...
2:13pm Wed 6 Mar 13

Saintlygirl wrote:
I don't often have garden waste - only in the summer when the grass is cut but paying £30 on top of £30 for the parking permit and 2% extra council tax is simply too much.

It's not a case of people being unnecessarily angry or upset, the cost of living and space is a big issue here.

I will NOT be paying for this if we have the choice and will definately opt for the bag; only if it's free!
Once again, there is NO FREE SERVICE for the collection of garden waste by SCC anymore. The chargeable service is THE service. If you do not want to pay, you will need to dispose of the garden waste yourself at the tip.

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Saintlygirl says...
2:24pm Wed 6 Mar 13

andre72 wrote:
Saintlygirl wrote: I don't often have garden waste - only in the summer when the grass is cut but paying £30 on top of £30 for the parking permit and 2% extra council tax is simply too much. It's not a case of people being unnecessarily angry or upset, the cost of living and space is a big issue here. I will NOT be paying for this if we have the choice and will definately opt for the bag; only if it's free!
Once again, there is NO FREE SERVICE for the collection of garden waste by SCC anymore. The chargeable service is THE service. If you do not want to pay, you will need to dispose of the garden waste yourself at the tip.
That I don't mind doing - that's what we do anyway with the grass in the summer.

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Saintlygirl says...
2:31pm Wed 6 Mar 13

micromark wrote:
Why the fuss? It's only a bin. There are far more horrific things going on in the world than getting stressed over having an extra plastic bin in the garden. I'd rather pay for a garden bin to save me the effort of taking my green waste to the dump every fornight during the summer months.
Well, I'm glad you are rich enough to pay for it all - and clearly have a huge garden! I'm more than happy to take it to the dump during the summer. Our council tax has gone up 2% and I will be paying £30 for my parking permit! I also have a small front garden and large back garden with no rear access - so it is a bit of a fuss for me! It is not only a bin, it's the payment and location too!

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southampton12345 says...
2:42pm Wed 6 Mar 13

her recycling bin is contaminated..

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southampton12345 says...
2:48pm Wed 6 Mar 13

southampton city council are one of the last of the local authorities to actually charge for the garden waste service. Southampton have been lucky that we have recieved this free service for so long, and we actually have a reduced charge compared to other local authorities.

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Minger1 says...
2:52pm Wed 6 Mar 13

I bought a compost bin a few yeras ago and put all my garden waste and food in there, cannot put meat in it though but we are veggies so it don't matter to us, we have not no food waste going into our bin's, and all the council do is turn it into compost and sell it back to use, so it makes sense to do your own composting.

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andre72 says...
3:06pm Wed 6 Mar 13

Saintlygirl wrote:
micromark wrote:
Why the fuss? It's only a bin. There are far more horrific things going on in the world than getting stressed over having an extra plastic bin in the garden. I'd rather pay for a garden bin to save me the effort of taking my green waste to the dump every fornight during the summer months.
Well, I'm glad you are rich enough to pay for it all - and clearly have a huge garden! I'm more than happy to take it to the dump during the summer. Our council tax has gone up 2% and I will be paying £30 for my parking permit! I also have a small front garden and large back garden with no rear access - so it is a bit of a fuss for me! It is not only a bin, it's the payment and location too!
Like anything that isn't used by every single person though, it requires a separate charge in order to continue on. Parking permits are obviously an individual thing too; the council is not a catch-all service, and can only provide services these days which are paid for. Obviously it will be hard to accept at first, but in time this will be recognised as the norm which it is.

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sotonbusdriver says...
3:31pm Wed 6 Mar 13

Saintlygirl wrote:
andre72 wrote:
Saintlygirl wrote: I don't often have garden waste - only in the summer when the grass is cut but paying £30 on top of £30 for the parking permit and 2% extra council tax is simply too much. It's not a case of people being unnecessarily angry or upset, the cost of living and space is a big issue here. I will NOT be paying for this if we have the choice and will definately opt for the bag; only if it's free!
Once again, there is NO FREE SERVICE for the collection of garden waste by SCC anymore. The chargeable service is THE service. If you do not want to pay, you will need to dispose of the garden waste yourself at the tip.
That I don't mind doing - that's what we do anyway with the grass in the summer.
The answer is to OPT out of the new bin scheme,,,, Then put the garden rubbish in the bottom of your standard wheelie bin in bags, then the normal household rubbish on top.. Then the bin men will not worry and just take it with the normal load...
I can see a huge reduction in recycling within the city at this rate

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loosehead says...
6:42pm Wed 6 Mar 13

The bags were made smaller as the bin men complained they were to heavy now they're doing away with them & using bins why?
is it because it's easier to pull a bin?
Once again when Labour increased the grant amount the Tories had applied for they used green recycling as a reason they needed the extra amount so why is ASA Thorpe not using some of that grant for what it was intended for or is it being used on Williams projects?

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lorra1 says...
6:43pm Wed 6 Mar 13

cannot even empty recycling bins once a fortnight now they want to add another one still waiting to be emptied now getting into third week a joke is what it is.

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SotonLad says...
9:07pm Wed 6 Mar 13

Get yourself a compost heap - all your waste can go in it, then you will have to find something else to moan about. Everyone expects something for nothing.

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bazzeroz says...
10:17pm Wed 6 Mar 13

Just one question: Do we have a choice to have one or not?

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loosehead says...
7:45am Thu 7 Mar 13

bazzeroz wrote:
Just one question: Do we have a choice to have one or not?
You have to sign up for the collection & pay for the size of bin you want according to the article,
when I phoned action line last time they said they were charging they said you would have to sign up for collections

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andre72 says...
10:30am Thu 7 Mar 13

bazzeroz wrote:
Just one question: Do we have a choice to have one or not?
Yes. Either buy one and have the service, or don't have the service. I'm not buying one.

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boredofsouthampton says...
12:01pm Thu 7 Mar 13

yet another bin to be left in the road by the bin persons since they are incapable of returning them to the place where they are left for collection. when complaints are made to the council nothing improves.The bins in the road are a hazard to both pedestrian and road users alike

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lorra1 says...
9:57pm Thu 7 Mar 13

SotonLad wrote:
Get yourself a compost heap - all your waste can go in it, then you will have to find something else to moan about. Everyone expects something for nothing.
have got that aswell but still not emptied recycle bin not moaning just stating a fact

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loosehead says...
7:38am Fri 8 Mar 13

Before the Tories won power Labour were going to charge to park outside your home but dropped that idea as it was losing votes but kept it in their manifesto.
now they've applied for a weekly refuse collection grant which also includes glass collection?
most people take their old glass bottles to a bottle bank so no need for a home collection.
how many garden waste recycling bins are there?
As for the fact this city is the last to charge sorry but as this city are charging more for council tax why should they also add a hidden tax in garden waste collection or parking?
as I've said mine that can be composted will go to my allotment compost bin the rest will be burnt so even less for the refuse collectors to do will some be losing their jobs?

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Kouros says...
7:32pm Sat 9 Mar 13

The Council have written to me saying that the garden waste collection will no longer be free and that residents will be able to sign up for a new chargeable collection.
However, it has NEVER been free. We have always paid for the original garden waste collection through our Council Tax. But as the Council Tax has not decreased for this loss of service, we are expected to pay for it AGAIN by signing up. I shall burn my garden rubbish and pollute the atmosphere instead!

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loosehead says...
9:05pm Sat 9 Mar 13

Kouros wrote:
The Council have written to me saying that the garden waste collection will no longer be free and that residents will be able to sign up for a new chargeable collection.
However, it has NEVER been free. We have always paid for the original garden waste collection through our Council Tax. But as the Council Tax has not decreased for this loss of service, we are expected to pay for it AGAIN by signing up. I shall burn my garden rubbish and pollute the atmosphere instead!
If you know any one with an allotment see if they want it or if close enough take it to the recycling centre at Dock gate 20

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Kouros says...
9:51pm Sat 9 Mar 13

loosehead wrote:
Kouros wrote:
The Council have written to me saying that the garden waste collection will no longer be free and that residents will be able to sign up for a new chargeable collection.
However, it has NEVER been free. We have always paid for the original garden waste collection through our Council Tax. But as the Council Tax has not decreased for this loss of service, we are expected to pay for it AGAIN by signing up. I shall burn my garden rubbish and pollute the atmosphere instead!
If you know any one with an allotment see if they want it or if close enough take it to the recycling centre at Dock gate 20
I am quite aware of the various options.
My complaint is that the cost of garden waste collection was already included in our Council Tax and we're still paying that... plus a 2% increase from next month. Now they want us to pay for it AGAIN.
I live on the eastern outskirts of the city and I'm not driving all the way to Dock Gate 20 to dispose of it, especially since they closed the Endle Street depot.

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bazzeroz says...
9:56pm Sun 10 Mar 13

loosehead wrote:
bazzeroz wrote:
Just one question: Do we have a choice to have one or not?
You have to sign up for the collection & pay for the size of bin you want according to the article,
when I phoned action line last time they said they were charging they said you would have to sign up for collections
Thank you. I will not signing up for one. It will go in my normal green lidded bin bagged up, whether they like it or not. I also compost but when that's full that's it! Unlike someone who commented earlier I, will not be burning it. I'm sure that Southampton is a smokeless zone and I certainly wouldn't like to live near someone that burns green waste!

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loosehead says...
9:04am Mon 11 Mar 13

bazzeroz wrote:
loosehead wrote:
bazzeroz wrote:
Just one question: Do we have a choice to have one or not?
You have to sign up for the collection & pay for the size of bin you want according to the article,
when I phoned action line last time they said they were charging they said you would have to sign up for collections
Thank you. I will not signing up for one. It will go in my normal green lidded bin bagged up, whether they like it or not. I also compost but when that's full that's it! Unlike someone who commented earlier I, will not be burning it. I'm sure that Southampton is a smokeless zone and I certainly wouldn't like to live near someone that burns green waste!
I was trying to give ideas to save you from signing up to this.
Southampton isn't a smoke free zone or we'd have no coal or log fire's.
we have this & residents being charged to park outside their own homes but I know this council have asked Church Leaders to ask their congregations if there are 40 families who'd foster to save this council 1million a year?
are they not going to assist those families with the upkeep of those children? doesn't that money come straight from central government?
What the hell's Williams & his Labour council doing with the £8million grant they received from Government?
what is Williams doing with the £1.8million he's kept back for his pet projects?

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