Kirklees Council has unveiled a “recovery plan” after severe snow and ice left the local authority with a backlog of bins to collect.
The plan means that every single Kirklees household will have their grey bin emptied next week, with this to kick off on Monday, January 13, regardless of whether homes are scheduled for a collection. Residents are being told to make sure they have put their grey bin out on the day it would usually be collected.
If homes are due to have their green bin emptied next week, this will not take place, with the grey bins to be prioritised and collected instead. Two additional bags of general waste will also be accepted alongside the bins. Normal collections will then resume from Monday, January 20.
Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways, Councillor Munir Ahmed, said: “Our bin crews have been out every day this week and collected thousands of bins in difficult circumstances. But the conditions have been against them and it’s just not been safe or practical to complete all our rounds. That’s why we’re putting a plan in place to clear the backlog of grey bins throughout next week.
“Every household in Kirklees will get a grey bin collection on their normal collection day next week, whether it’s scheduled or not and regardless of whether we managed to reach you this week or not. We need to prioritise grey bin collections because the rubbish in those bins needs to be disposed of as quickly and safely as possible. A full collection of grey bins across Kirklees is the best way of dealing with that issue.
“My message to Kirklees residents is to “make sure you leave your grey bin” out for collection next week. Even if you’re due for a green bin collection, we will only be collecting grey bins on your usual day of collection. This will help us clear the backlog. We will be sending out reminders to anyone who’s registered and post messages across our channels over the coming days to advise people about the recovery plan.
“We’ve thought hard about how to deal with this week’s disruption, including having extra collections over the weekend. But the forecast is for the big freeze to continue for another few days so we think next week’s plan is the most effective way to prioritise collections for local households.
“We know some households will have accumulated extra waste so our crews will be accepting two bags of general waste that are placed next to residents’ bins as well as the contents of the bin itself. I’m asking residents to be considerate about when and how they put their bins out and we will be as flexible as we can when we come to collect. We will be collecting on your usual day of collection so please don’t leave your bin out too early.
“If you’re due for a green bin collection next week, please don’t put your green bin out. Only put your grey bin out for collection. The normal schedule of collections for all bins will begin again the following week (starting Monday 20 January 2025). I understand that this might be frustrating for some residents but we need to prioritise the backlog of grey bins across Kirklees.
“I also want to thank everyone in Kirklees who’s battled against the elements to help keep our communities safe this week. That includes many of the council’s staff who’ve kept delivering vital services but I also want to thank residents and businesses who’ve cleared snow and ice for others, checked in on neighbours and looked out for each other in these harsh conditions.”
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