Move to fortnightly bin collections in Horsham district

Sideloading bin lorries are set to be replaced at the same time as fortnightly general rubbish bin collections are introduced in 2018

Fortnightly household general bin collections are set to be introduced across the Horsham district.

The move is expected to save Horsham District Council £730,000 a year at the same time as bringing in a new fleet of rear-loading bin lorries, which is set to save the authority another £270,000 a year.

Although the Horsham district has the highest recycling rate in West Sussex, it is about five per cent short of the 50 per cent national recycling target it has to reach by 2020 and the council is anticipating that reducing general waste collections to every two weeks will increase their recycling rates.

A second smaller recycling bin will be available for a £5 delivery charge, as will free recycling bags.

Garden waste and recycling bins will both continue be collected every fortnight under the Alternative Weekly Collections system and is identical to the arrangements already in place in Mid Sussex and Chichester.

However, the green waste charge is set to increase from April 2017, up £2 a year for first bins and £5 a year for additional bins.

The changes are not due to come in until the spring of 2018 as the new fleet of rear-loading bin lorries will take about nine months to procure, while a Government grant to maintain weekly collections ends in late 2017.

Crew numbers would be roughly similar but the new vehicles would only need one driver rather than the current two. The council also struggles to employ an adequate number of HGV drivers.

The rear-loading vehicles would use the same bins and the council would save money on maintenance and repairs as the new lorries will be ‘significantly cheaper’ to operate, while the fleet size would also be reduced.

Ray Dawe (Con, Chantry), leader of HDC, confirmed they would not be consulting on the changes as they have held briefings with all councillors, who ‘overwhelmingly support the changes’, adding: “This is nothing revolutionary or unusual.”

Roy Cornell (Con, Roffey South), HDC’s cabinet member for waste, recycling, and cleansing, said: “Waste and recycling collection is one of the most high profile and highly valued services provided by the council and we are extremely proud to have the highest recycling rate in West Sussex, but we must continue to strive to do better.