A move from weekly to fortnightly bin collections is on the way in Brighton and Hove – but not just yet.
Labour councillor Tim Rowkins said that the council’s rubbish and recycling service was improving but there was still not enough “resilience for when things are not going to plan”.
Councillor Rowkins made his comments at a meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council’s cabinet yesterday (Thursday 16 July).
The council’s cabinet member for environmental services and net zero said that the “unprecedented” record-breaking high temperatures last month had affected collections.
Rounds were cut short, he said, to ensure the crews, who have to wear specific personal protective equipment, were not working during the hottest part of the day.
And older vehicles had mechanical problems, including overheating hydraulics.
Councillor Rowkins, one of the council’s two deputy leaders, said: “That created a very significant backlog and it took too long to recover.
“This is obviously a very unusual example but it illustrates the point. We need to provide confidence to residents that when collections are missed, we can catch up in a reasonable timeframe.
“Specifically, we need to be able to assure residents that missed collections on a fortnightly regime will not mean a whole month between collections.”
He said that the proposals before the cabinet would add greater resilience to collections, including more crews on catch-up rounds, a management focus on operations and more cover for the workshop in the evenings.
Fellow Labour councillor Jacob Allen said that he had told his residents in Woodingdean that he was enthusiastic about the prospect of a £1.3 million investment to improve services.
Councillor Allen, the council’s cabinet member for customer services, the public realm and local government, said: “A significant portion of my ward has been getting a raw deal since early June and I’m the front man.
“People say to me, ‘it can’t carry on.’ And I agree with them. Then they say, ‘what are you going to do about it?’ And I say, ‘Councillor Rowkins is our top man. He’s on the ball and he’s going to improve the service.’”
The other deputy leader of the council, Jacob Taylor, said that people in his ward, Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, had raised rubbish and recycling bin collections at a public meeting.
He said that during the 2023 local elections, the topic was near the top of the list of issues that needed to be tackled.
The Labour councillor said that missed collections were an issue for a whole area, adding: “I am very supportive of the extra investment that Councillor Rowkins is proposing because we’ve got to get this service right.
“I want to send a message to the residents of the city. This remains a top priority – getting a service that you deserve and that you pay for through your council tax.”
Councillor Taylor said that he was pleased to hear that fortnightly collections would not go ahead until the service was ready and people were habitually using the new food waste recycling service.
Labour councillor Joy Robinson, who represents Central Hove ward, said that she was pleased to note that no changes were planned for areas with communal bins.
Councillor Rowkins said that work was under way to improve communal bin services, with “a good chance” in some areas, as yet unnamed, that collections could become more frequent than the current daily emptying.
The £1.3 million investment is due to be spent hiring vehicles and recruiting 17 extra staff including mechanics and a team to remove “side waste” – overspill rubbish left beside or on top of bins.
A “waste composition survey” earlier this year found that 45 per cent of rubbish – or 2.36kg per household a week – could be recycled. Almost 30 per cent was food waste and 15 per cent counted as mixed recycling.
The council has been collecting more than 100 tonnes of food waste a week but almost half of the material currently placed in general rubbish bins could be recycled or put into food waste collections, the council said.
Very keen to see the system is effective before considering moving to fortnight collections of communal bins. The academic evidence supports fortnightly, BUT it very keenly emphasises only it works on a strong foundation and established system.
A twice weekly suits me as I don’t fill my bin every week,. I however think this is two teir Labour again, while the downtown bourgeoisie get their bins emptied daily, now get bulk fly tipped waste removed as well, will there be a surcharge on the city centre or will the suburbs be subsidising them?
Absolutely ludicrous, rates go up every year and rate payers get less and less. The on road communal bins are overflowing before one week is up twp weeks, well I’ll leave that to your imagination. Around Sackfield Road Hove Station rubbish filled streets will become worse. The big communal recycling bins need to be emptied twice a week at least
The communal bins need emptying when they are nearly full. ‘Smart’ bins that tell the Council refuse team they are nearing capacity, would help the situation.
Are you aware that this doesn’t affect communal bins?
Waste collection is where politics and administration collide. While there may be sound managerial reasons for rationing waste collection, it – like pot holes -, is a visible marker of how the council is prioritising its operational efforts and rate payers money. Everyone can see rubbish scattered across their neighbourhood while the vast sums needed for SEND and social care payments remain largely invisible for most people. Given that politics is above all else performative, the council may wish to reassess how to balance the theatre of governance will the realities of a constrained budget.
Basically they need an entirely new fleet of trucks and the depot is a shanty town of porta cabins. No commercial company would have so much variation in a fleet because it’s harder and more expensive to keep on the road.
The whole fleet should be the same truck and the depot needs to be refurbished and invested in. But alas £10million quid which is what’s needed is being spent on a few SEND people, which lets face it changes nothing for them and not the majority of us who have to put up with our tax being thrown down the blocked drains…
A family of four, we fill our bin every week (and our recycling too). A move to collections every fortnight will mean a plague of black bags sitting on the pavement next to the bins, readily available for seagulls to peck them open. This is a madness idea.
If you’re using the food waste bin the seagulls will not be interested in the normal waste as it is no interest to them.
Rubbish – the Sea Gulls tear anything apart in black bin bags
To get to food…
Take the food out, trust me they won’t be interested
In a city like Brightin rubbish collection is essential to avoid overflowing bins and risk of flies and vermin. Recycling also important so regular collection of both ensures all parts of the city remain clean. Good that investment in better equipment being made and will also help the operators in their not so lovely task. I urge keeping weekly rubbish collection as well as food collection service. Our council taxes should be adequate to enable this. We do not want a Birmingham situation in Brighton.
March 2027 would be the best time to start them. So everyone can give their feedback in the May 2027 BH elections
So you wouldn’t be able to see if it worked on not in time for the elections? Just another silly little thing to say, really.
Start them at Christmas then. Residents will be even angrier, come May.
At which point you might as well start when it’s good and ready so it’s successful…an even more silly thing to say.
I don’t know either of you personally, but as someone who follows these local discussions, I’ve noticed a bit of a pattern. Tracy can barely post a comment without Benjamin turning up to tell her she’s wrong or “silly.” Healthy debate is one thing, but repeatedly singling out the same person starts to look less like discussion and more like intimidation. It would be good to see the conversation stay on the actual topic rather than constantly becoming about one resident.
Are you aware that your profile picture is like a fingerprint? Even without one set, it’s unique to you!
Will you lead the Charge of the Angry Brigade draped in a flag?
Maybe exempt the areas where 1 week is already at max capacity ??? A one band idea is not a city wide solution. Maybe a monthly big skip drop in certain areas just for the day ?? Saving money on transport every week is not feasable if you need 2 trucks every 2 weeks to cover where 1 was doing the job weekly, no savings.
That’s a really good idea.
Yeah, except most people don’t fill a bin because the bother to recycle properly. Start recycling and separating food waste and stop being en entitled baby boomer, you might find life a bit easier
I was thinking from the transport point of view, and you ??? baby boomers ??? food waste ??? Transport is the only real possibility of cost cutting, but it has to work otherwise rubbish gets left behind.
No recycling collected in Stanley Road for over 5 weeks and counting. If they can’t do the fortnightly collection now, they will fail again and again with the rubbish.
Exactly what are these ‘specific personal protective equipment’ that dustmen have to wear. They only touch the handles of the wheelie bins. Never touching rubbish. Therefore a pair of gloves us surely the only protective gear they need. As for the heat….a gilet on top of a t shirt and shorts.
Your expertise in workforce management during periods of excessive heat is apparent. I hope you have informed the council.