Below is a Council briefing on the suspension of garden waste collection due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Briefing
We’re working hard to keep our waste and cleansing services running during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Staff shortages and emerging guidance on social distancing measures for collection crews means we’ve had to prioritise our key services and adapt the way we deliver them.

From Tuesday 7 April we’re suspending garden waste collections until further notice. This means the last collection of garden waste will be for bins that are due to be collected on Friday 3 April. This will allow us to focus on non-recyclable waste (grey wheelie bins and black lidded communal bins) and food waste collections, as these could pose a health hazard if they’re not collected.

• We’re writing to all customers who have a garden waste permit to explain the situation.
  • We’re sending an email to customers who registered with their email address and writing letters to those without an email address.
  • Residents who have registered for a permit on behalf of someone else will be contacted too and are encouraged to let the person they’ve registered for the service know.
• Blue box (glass) and special uplift collections have also stopped, and our recycling centres are closed until further notice.
• Once we know the full extent of the disruption, we’ll be in touch with customers to explain how they will be recompensed.

How residents can help

• We’re focused on helping our most vulnerable residents. If residents have comments or questions about the service changes please ask them not to call us at this stage as it’s vitally important we keep our phone lines free so our contact centre staff can deal with emergency calls.
• Anyone with symptoms of Coronavirus must follow the guidance on how to dispose of their waste correctly.
• Garden waste customers should continue recycling their garden waste by using a compost bin if possible.
• If someone has had a missed bin collection for our other services, please encourage them to remove their bin from the street and put it out on their next collection day. If they can’t wait until their next pick up day, they can report a missed bin on our website and we’ll try our best to get it.
• Check in on neighbours and family and offer to put bins out for collection for anyone who is unable or might be self-isolating.
• Visit our website and Twitter account regularly for the latest updates and changes to bin collections, street cleansing and other Council services.