Plans to end weekly bin collections and increase charges have been labelled “counterproductive”. 

The proposal, included as part of the council’s budget consultation, would see recycling and household waste collected on alternate weeks.

A series of increased charges are also featured, which officials estimate could rake in £285,000 of extra income over four years alongside the £650,000 expected to be saved with the reduced collections. 

After the Recorder reported the proposed changes, Havering residents weighed in. 

Victoria Warren said the alternate weeks could work “if Havering had a decent recycling scheme”. 

She commented on Facebook: “At the minute a lot goes into black sacks because they don’t recycle very much. Glass, plastic food packaging for example! Make the recycling better and every other week collections won’t be an issue.” 

Another, Laura Jane, queried how much new wheelie bins, also part of the proposal, were going to cost the council. 

“And how much are these new bins going to set them back?” she asked. “Seems awfully counterproductive.” 

The proposal was not without its supporters, with some pointing out similar schemes have worked effectively elsewhere. 

Julie Negus commented: “This has been happening up and down the country for ages, no reason why it can’t work.” 

Rob Walker meanwhile said: “If people recycle properly, weekly house waste pick ups are not needed as you minimise landfill waste. I’d like to see glass pick ups and a better system than these orange bags as part of a bi-weekly pick up.” 

Conservative group leader Cllr Damian White had described the weekly collection service as “sacrosanct”, and warned fly-tipping could be a potential knock-on effect of amending the schedule.  

“I don’t believe that moving to alternate weekly collections is really going to save significant amounts of money for the authority,” he told this paper. 

Council leader Cllr Ray Morgon has previously referred to the authority's current cash-strapped status as “the most difficult position that we’ve ever been in”, with £70 million in savings requird over the next four years. 

To fill out the budget’s online survey and view a full list of consultation events, visit: https://consultation.havering.gov.uk/corporate/budget-2023/