'Barmy' Bury Bin Collections about to get worse!

LAST January, the Cabinet minister, Eric Pickles, described the the state of bin collections in Bury in Greater Manchester as 'barmy' because the council had introduced fortnightly collections instead of weekly.  The minister may now think that the bosses at Bury MBC have totally lost touch with reality because yesterday management at Bradley Fold told the refuse collection workforce that they instend to introduce collections every 'three weeks' from October this year.

Today's Bury Times reports:

'HOUSEHOLDERS in Bury are set to become the first in England to have their grey bins emptied once every three weeks under ambitious plans to create a “zero waste” borough.'   

This decision will be subject to the approval at a Bury Cabinet meeting next Wednesday, and if the proposals go ahead, recycling bins will be emptied more frequently as council bosses strive to push recycling rates up from 47.6 per cent to 60 per cent or more by March, 2016.  

Grey bins, which cater for non-recyclable household waste, are currently emptied every two weeks.  It is estimated that the planned changes would result in an annual savings of £862,000 in waste treatment and disposal costs. 

Already the workforce, many of whom are taking part in a national strike of coucil workers today, has expressed their concern to their union Unite, and it is anticipated that the citizens of Bury which has one of the best open markets in the country will not be best pleased.

Subject to approval at a Bury Cabinet meeting next Wednesday, the changes to the collection service will be introduced from early October.