The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
More garden waste bins are set to be available in South Holland but it could be a while before its rolled out across the district amid claims it could help offset the increase in fly-tipping.
A meeting of South Holland District Council’s Full Council heard that there’s currently 1,200 people on a waiting list for the brown bins that had been as high as 1,400 people.
In response to a question on the waiting list from Coun Angela Newton, Coun Roger Gambba-Jones said that the authority had bought 600 new bins.
“It’s good to hear people are keen to join the scheme and help us make it viable and continuing to bring in the revenue that the council needs and isn’t being subsidised by other tax payers which was always the intent from the outset,” he said. “We’re looking to expand up to 30 extra sign-ups a week on the existing rounds where that capacity exists.
“That does not mean that universally that can be achieved as it may be some of the routes are already at capacity.
“In order to do any more extensions across the district it would need a revision of rounds which would involve day changes.
“That would lead to some inconvenience and budget changes.
“We’re seeking to get as many people on to the existing rounds as we possibly can and the bins we have purchased are to meet that extra demand and to ensure we’re maximising that capacity.”
The meeting also heard about the increase in fly-tipping incidents, up 138 per cent year-on-year as stated by Coun Gambba-Jones.
Coun Michael Booth asked if extra Saturday pop up sessions such as those previously on Fishpond Lane in Holbeach could be introduced, but the meeting was told that was subsidised by Lincolnshire Council.
“The collections on a Saturday were carried out on behalf of the county council to compensate for those distant to the household waste recycling centre in Spalding,” Coun Gambba-Jones said. “It was withdrawn by Lincolnshire County Council as a budgetary consideration, that’s why those ceased.
“If it were to be re-introduced that would fall on SHDC tax payers just at the time the portfolio holder for finance has reported that we’re currently running at a £1m plus deficit forecast because of the COVID epidemic.
“Free opportunities to get rid of that rubbish might reduce it to a small degree. But I doubt we’d see any significant reduction where carried out by commercial tippers.
“I don’t think it’s financially practical or would reduce the impact significantly.”
Coun Bryan Alcock also asked about rubbish clean ups on major roads, particularly the A16 between Spalding and Crowland.
The meeting heard the council had reduced the clean ups on the road to four times a year after having previously carried out regular cleans using a roadblock.
That had been ended after an a worker for another council was killed while carrying out such a clean leading to a £2m compensation claim, Coun Gambba-Jones explained.
South Holland now employs a private company to clean major roadside verges.
