Council needs £1.8m for changes to bin collections

Dearne communities, like others across the borough, were hit with collection problems when snow hit the region in January.

Weather was blamed as bin collections became chaotic, but as that went on for months, it emerged new safety measures had also had an impact on the way the service operated.

The council now concedes its lack of progress in catching up after the weather was down to a new safety initiative.

They introduced that because of advice from a coroner, following the death of a waste collector elsewhere.

Now they say it will take £1.8m “to make sure the service can be delivered reliably and safely over the long term”.

Bin collection duties is said to be one of the most dangerous industries in the country, and several years ago the council stopped collecting bins at remote locations, using roadside pads to accommodate them instead, after a lorry overturned on a rural track.

Some of the money will go on replacing brown and blue wheelie bins for free, in a bid to improve recycling rates.

At present, householders get the bins for free, but have to pay a transportation fee of around £30 to have them delivered.

Cabinet spokesman for the environment, Cllr James Higginbottom, said: “This proposed investment recognises that we can’t return to the level of disruption we saw earlier this year.”

In March, a ‘scutiny’ meeting of the council heard it cost around £40,000 between January and March to restore normal collections.

The ruling Cabinet is being asked to approve the £1.8m spending.