Charging for green waste bin collections across Cheshire East could rake in up to £4m a year, the council estimates.

The proposal to charge residents to empty their green waste (brown) bins is one of the measures councillors will be considering at Thursday's meeting of the environment and communities committee as they debate the mid-term financial strategy 2023-7 (budget).

It comes as the council is facing a £20m funding gap for 2023/4 and has to find savings and/or increase income across all its services.

According to the MTFS document, which has just been out for public consultation, introducing subscription charging for green waste collections, subject to consultation with residents, would align Cheshire East to most other local authorities in charging for kerbside collection and disposal of green waste.

The report states: "Average charges compared to neighbouring boroughs could raise as much as £4.05m per annum."

Cheshire East acknowledges there could be implications for food waste recycling as this is currently collected with garden waste.

"Changes following consultation would also require significant communication and engagement with residents," states the report.

"Changes could require food waste to be placed in black bins."

It adds: "Any proposal may be subject to review if government guidance is amended in relation to waste collection services."

Cheshire East is expecting to have to pay out nearly £4m more than it had previously forecast for its waste collection services in the next financial year just to ensure it can keep up its current fortnightly collections for all types of bins.

It says the costs are forecast to be higher due to increased waste tonnages driven by changing behaviours following the pandemic and an increase in demand from new housing.

"This results in increased vehicles and crews and increased fuel usage," states the report. "In addition, a statutory change in fuel duty applied from April 2022."

The committee can not make any decisions at Thursday's meeting. Instead it can provide feedback on the proposals suggested and this then goes to the corporate policy committee, which meets of February 9, before a final decision is taken on the budget proposals at full council on February 22.