Councils paid to restart weekly bin collections

Councils are to be offered financial support to restore weekly rubbish collections as the Conservatives attempt to deliver on a party pledge made before they came to power.


A £250m fund is being set up to help local authorities in England switch from fortnightly to weekly bin rounds under plans unveiled by Eric Pickles, the communities and local government secretary.


The policy is seen by Conservatives as delivering on a pledge the party made in opposition after the coalition came in for fierce criticism in June following its waste review, when it was revealed councils would not have to bring back weekly waste collections.


Labour then accused the government of breaking its pre-election promise to abandon fortnightly bin collections, branding it a "huge missed opportunity".


Unveiling the move ahead of the party conference in Manchester, Pickles said he believed every household in England had a right to have their rubbish collected every week. "Weekly rubbish collections are the most visible of all frontline services and I believe every household in England has a basic right to have their rubbish collected every week," he said.


"Our fund will help councils deliver weekly collections and in the process make it easier for families to go green and improve the local environment."


The Daily Telegraph disclosed earlier this year that Mr Pickles was hoping to offer councils financial incentives to reintroduce weekly collections.
The scheme was initially overruled by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs amid fears it would undermine attempts to encourage recycling. Following a Cabinet row, Mr Pickles has won the backing of David Cameron and will unveil the weekly bin scheme today.
The Department for Communities and Local Government will make savings to provide £250 million for the scheme over the next two and a half years.
A similar financial incentive was used to reward local authorities agreeing to freeze council tax, which led to no increase in England this year. Councils will be paid to cover the costs of weekly bin collections providing they guarantee the service for at least five years.
They will also have to show that they have introduced recycling schemes.
Doretta Cocks, founder of the Campaign for Weekly Waste, welcomed the announcement. “For too long households have had to put up with fortnightly collections so this is welcome news for hard-working families.