Title

DISTRICT COUNCILS' NETWORK

Waste collection plans to cost £680m a year, councils warn

Government plans to standardise kerbside waste collections will cost £680m a year, district councils have warned.

Government plans to standardise kerbside waste collections will cost £680m a year, district councils have warned today.

The District Councils' Network (DCN) said the proposals would create ‘chaos and confusion' as households could need as many as seven bins each.

DCN said there would be four separate bins for dry recyclables, as well as bins for garden waste, food waste and non-recyclables.

Council leaders also said the reforms would increase the number of collection vehicles on the roads.

DCN's lead member for enhancing quality of life, Cllr Dan Humphreys, said: ‘These proposals are poorly thought out, and will create costly chaos and confusion up and down the country.

'Rather than standardise waste collections, local communities should be able to decide what works best for them.

'What works for residents in villages and rural areas won't work for people living in flats in a busy town or city.'

Earlier this month, chief executives urged the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to identify and fund all additional costs.

DISTRICT COUNCILS' NETWORK

Calls for fair funding tax flexibility

By Martin Ford | 22 August 2025

The Government has been urged to lift the council tax referendum limit to help local authorities hit by the fair funding review.

DISTRICT COUNCILS' NETWORK

Dealing with the rising tide crisis

By Wayne Scott | 21 August 2025

Wayne Scott explains why public sector leaders must plan for supplier failure.

DISTRICT COUNCILS' NETWORK

Fair funding must reflect real need – not just population growth

By Cllr Tracey Dixon | 21 August 2025

Any fair funding formula must reflect not just how many people live in an area, but the depth and breadth of their needs, says the leader of South Tyneside C...

DISTRICT COUNCILS' NETWORK

Audit costs rise by 238%, research reveals

By Izzy Lepone | 19 August 2025

Audit reform ambitions have ‘failed’, creating ‘market chaos’, researchers from the University of Sheffield have argued.

Popular articles by Laura Sharman