One of the big talking points across England and Wales right now are the proposed cuts to rubbish and recycling collections being put forward by local councils. This effort to try and balance budgets and books was always going to be unpopular because of the impact it has on everyday life, but even we are surprised by the strength of feeling that’s been felt across the country. To give things some much-needed balance, we’re going to take a look at the nature of the proposed cuts, what they mean, and what you and your local community can do about them.
Why are we facing cuts at all?
In an era where the price of everything seems to be going up faster than the rate of inflation (bar wages) it’s not a big surprise to see council tax bills jump as well. The problem is that in an effort to balance the books, local councils are faced with the tough decision of reducing the provision of key services at the same time as increasing the monthly bill. This is a classic case of getting less but paying more, and it’s not something that even the most economically realistic of households will look at kindly. One of the key points to remember here is that councils aren’t doing this for the sake of it — quite the opposite. They want to win votes and please their local constituents, which means the last thing they really want to have to do is raise council tax while reducing bin collections to just once every three weeks. Everyone knows that’s a surefire way to annoy the locals, which is why it’s a decision that’s not taken lightly. Wage increases, operating cost rises, and things like pension contributions being eroded by inflation all play their part in having to try and do more with less.
What would a cut mean for your household?
The most obvious image that comes to mind — and one you will see shared all over social media in community groups right now — is one of the streets piled high with infested rubbish. While clearly no one wants to live in an area where this starts happening, we are a long way away from that at the moment. A reduction in the number of household bin collections doesn’t have to automatically result in the rogue super rats that the tabloids are all too fond of picturing whenever they can. Nor does it have to mean storing piles of rubbish inside your home to keep it away from the pests that will soon be clawing at your front door. In the first instance, a cut is likely to result in: – A need to pay greater attention to what you throw away versus what you can recycle, reuse, or donate in a more sustainable manner. – Some councils offer an option where you can pay to have a second bin. While it won’t be collected any more often than your original bin, it will give you more space in which to securely store your rubbish between collections. – A constructive, community-focused approach where you get together with other local people will help you all move away from the temptation to fly tip and find a solution that works for everyone.
What steps can you take to counteract the impact?
Rather than feeding into the doom and gloom that articles on reduced public services all too often generate, we want to look at the positive side. There are a number of solutions available to you right now, all of which can be investigated with just a small amount of effort and alignment with the people living nearby. The first thing to consider are private refuse services that are sure to grow in scope and popularity as public services decline in the face of proposed cuts. These private companies will offer their services for hire to residential customers in much the same way as they do on a contract basis to most of the local businesses in town. This means that, while you will have to pay for the service, there is still a viable way to get large amounts of rubbish off the streets and removed from your bins on a regular basis. The more people nearby who choose to go in with you and use one of these services, the lower the rate per household collection is likely to be as a result of economies of scale. This is good news for those of you who want to be able to put forward a tempting offer to the rest of the street so that you can all enjoy the quality of life you deserve. Another option well worth considering is starting a series of community recycling projects that turn reduced collections into a chance to do more to be green. Petitioning your local authority for a large bottle bank or plastic bank in the heart of the community is a great way to save space in your green bin when collections look like they’re going to be reduced. This can also be an attractive proposition to local authorities because they only have to empty a single large bank rather than going door to door. Last but by no means least, you may well want to consider putting a formal objection to your local MP. This will give an official voice to your frustrations and is far more likely to get you heard than commenting in the local Facebook community group. In a world in which you can order your shopping, find a UK online casino to play, and book holidays online in a single browsing session, it’ll come as no surprise that you can also put a large petition together. All you need to know is the address of your local MP so that you can send it via the official channels so that it gets acknowledged and read in good time.
