No changes to bin collections

A number of residents have contacted the council with concerns their waste service may change following media coverage of a government fund to help councils introduce weekly bin collections.

The good news for residents is the council has no plans to change its effective and efficient service, which has already provides a weekly collection service and has proved so successful.

Councillor Matthew Barber, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “Our waste collection service works incredibly well and we have the figures to prove it. Our system has delivered one of the highest recycling rates in the country and there is no reason to change.

“We have a weekly collection of food waste which is something that residents told us they wanted. There is a collection of recyclables or refuse every week.

“Changing the current system would mean a great deal more cost as more vehicles and different containers would be needed. The recycling rates we are so proud of in Vale would also suffer greatly.

“The government's announcement is intended to help other councils to achieve a scheme as successful as ours."

The council also has no plans to end the “commingling” where “dry” recyclables, such as glass, cans, plastic, paper and cardboard, are put in the same container. This process is easy for residents and means the number of containers needed is kept to a minimum.