Residents have rubbished Cheshire East's plans to introduce three-weekly black bin collections with 84 per cent opposing the scheme in the public consultation.

The council says collecting household waste bins every three weeks instead of fortnightly may be the only way it can fund its legal requirement to introduce weekly food waste pick-ups by April 2026.

Cheshire East estimates the weekly food collections will cost the council an extra £1.5m a year.

But a whopping 84 per cent of the 6,257 people who aired their views in the consultation, were opposed to three-weekly black bin collections.

A report which summarises the responses to the consultation states: "Many respondents stated that they already struggle with a two-weekly collection and were concerned that a move to three-weekly black bin collections would lead to an increase in vermin, pests and smells due to overflowing bins and certain waste products being left within the bins for a longer period.

"An increase in fly-tipping and contamination of other bins were also raised as concerns, especially since the recent closure of some of the local HWRC sites [tips] and the introduction of the booking system at the weekend."

There were also concerns the change would impact some people more than others including:

• larger families, those with younger children, those with medical needs / disabilities and those with pets;
• elderly residents and those with certain disabilities, due to a more complicated waste schedule and heavier bins which could lead to missed bin collections;
• residents who had opted for a smaller bin would have to pay for a standard / larger bin which is seen as unfair;
• those in rural areas due to an increased possibility of vermin, fly-tipping in these areas and difficulty for the waste trucks accessing properties which leads to missed bin collections;
• those in terraced housing / housing with little outdoor space – some areas do not have wheelie bins and instead will have an increase in the amount of black bin bags cluttering up the area;
• those in communal properties such as flats and houses of multiple occupancy.

Residents also trashed the council's suggestion of investing in additional waste educational specialists, enforcement officers and adopting wider enforcement powers to clean up any issues which may arise from the reduction in collections.

Sixty nine per cent disliked this 'draconian' approach, saying they would rather see the funds spent on waste collection.

Thirteen per cent of respondents were in favour of the change to three-weekly collections, feeling it would be a positive move in increasing recycling rates and it makes sense as the most cost-effective option.

The full document can be found on the consultation results page on Cheshire East Council's website.  https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/pdf/council-and-democracy/consultations/consultation-results/household-waste-consultation-report-final.pdf