REDDITCH Borough councillors have agreed to the expansion of the current garden waste service.
The move addresses the growing demand from residents and marks a positive step towards enhancing the town’s environmental sustainability, with Redditch moving away from its current agreement with Bromsgrove District Council and setting up its own Garden Waste Collection Service.
Since 2017, the service has been delivered in agreement with Bromsgrove and has been operating at a full capacity of 1,800 customers since 2020.
The new service looks to accommodate up to 6,000 customers over the next few years.
Redditch Borough Council leader, Coun Matt Dormer, said: “The garden waste service has been a point of community interest for many years, with lots of residents eagerly awaiting the opportunity to get a brown bin.
“Thank you to Coun Brandon Clayton, Coun Gemma Monaco, and the hard-working officers at Redditch Borough Council for their unwavering and long-term commitment to making this significant milestone a reality.
“This administration is continuing to unlock Redditch’s potential, creating a greener more sustainable future for our town.”
The current service ends next Friday or the one after, November 24 or December 1, depending on residents’ waste cycle.
The new service will start in February and will cost the equivalent of £3 per collection (£60 total) with an initial admin fee of £20 for the first year which includes delivery of the brown bin.
The service will provide 20 fortnightly collections to support residents during the main growing seasons of the year.
Portfolio holder for environmental services, Coun Brandon Clayton, said: “This decision addresses the long-standing demand for a bigger garden waste service in our town.
“By providing more residents with Brown bins, we are not only meeting their requests but also actively contributing to improved recycling practices, a cleaner environment and reducing our carbon footprint.
“We’re also creating more jobs for local people with the recruitment of our own dedicated crew.
“It’s win-win all round.”
Residents can sign up for the new service from December, once arrangements have been finalised to support the launch in February 2024.
