Latest news with #West Berkshire Council
Telegraph
17-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Council raises tax, then slashes bin collections
A local authority that raised council tax by the maximum amount this year has cut bin collections to once every three weeks. Liberal Democrat-controlled West Berkshire Council announced on Monday that from September, black bins would be collected on a three-week basis, rather than fortnightly. Under the new regime, food waste will be collected weekly, recycling fortnightly, but black bins will be emptied just once every three weeks. It comes after the council, which raised tax by almost 5pc in April, admitted it was facing a £37m shortfall in its provision of special educational needs and disabilities, which could push its overall deficit higher. The authority faced a starting £12.1m shortfall for the current 2025-2026 tax year, on top of other overspending. West Berkshire Council has increased tax bills by the maximum 4.99pc – including a 2pc charge for adult social care – every year since 2023. The tax bill for a Band D property is more than £2,300 a year. Stuart Gourley, the council's executive member for environment and highways, acknowledged the changes could feel 'disruptive' to residents. He said: 'We understand that changes to waste collection can be challenging and feel disruptive, but we want to reassure residents that this decision has been made with significant thought, care, and a long-term vision for our community.. 'This change is necessary to ensure a more sustainable future for West Berkshire. By recycling more and reducing black bin waste, we can protect services, help the environment, and move towards our goal of recycling 60pc of household waste by 2030.' Those with large families or medical needs can apply for their bins to be collected more frequently, officials said. 'Challenging conditions' It comes after a council in Surrey cancelled bin collections during a recent heatwave, claiming the weather had led to 'unprecedented absences' amongst staff. In an email to households, Reigate and Banstead council said it was dealing with 'very challenging working conditions' as a result of the hot weather, meaning that some residents may have missed out on a garden waste collection recently. Colchester council in Essex, also suspended collections of paper, plastic, cans and glass earlier this month to spare workers from lifting heavy loads in scorching temperatures.
BBC News
14-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
West Berkshire black bin collections to move to every three weeks
A council is set to introduce three-weekly bin collections despite local Berkshire Council currently collects black bins every two weeks, but said on Monday this would change to every three weeks from 22 a council survey run earlier this year, most people said they did not want a reduction in the frequency of refuse collections, and a petition was launched in May calling for the council to change its the council said the change aimed to increase recycling, reduce waste and support long-term environmental goals. Under the new plans, food waste will be collected weekly, recycling will be collected fortnightly, and black bins every three weeks. West Berkshire Council said recent analysis showed 42% of black bin contents could be recycled, with 22% being food authority said the figures highlighted "a big opportunity" to reduce the amount of waste thrown Gourley, the council's executive member for environment and highways, said the changes would help create a "cleaner, greener West Berkshire"."We understand that changes to waste collection can be challenging and feel disruptive, but we want to reassure residents that this decision has been made with significant thought, care, and a long-term vision for our community," he said."This change is necessary to ensure a more sustainable future for West Berkshire. By recycling more and reducing black bin waste, we can protect services, help the environment, and move towards our goal of recycling 60% of household waste by 2030."The council said larger families or those with medical needs could apply for extra black bin space, and extra recycling containers were being offered free of with more information will be distributed to households between 24 August and 5 September. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
E-scooter plan for Newbury and Thatcham
Council e-scooters could be coming to two towns as part of the authority's plans to increase travel options for Berkshire Council said on-street e-scooter hire schemes in Newbury and Thatcham, Berkshire, would give residents a "cost-effective alternative to car ownership", along with shared proposal is part of the council's draft local transport strategy, which aims for 50% of trips within Newbury and Thatcham to be made by walking and plans also include enhancing bus services, increasing car clubs and walking and cycling routes. According to the plans, electric vehicle (EV) uptake in the district is above the national average and there are several publicly available EV chargers across Newbury and Thatcham."There are, however, locations with limited offroad parking where on-street provision is likely to be needed to support increased EV uptake," it concedes."This could be aligned with the provision of shared electric vehicles."The council also said it wanted to create a high-quality "active travel" link between Sandleford Park, Newbury town centre, Thatcham town centre, north east Thatcham and railway plans also include a trial minibus service from northeast Thatcham to the railway station, expanding the car club network, zero-emissions buses to Reading, and a reduction in HGV and freight e-scooter plan is subject to legislation and an operator, the council consultation into the transport paper closed in will go before the council on 17 July, with the results due on 22 July. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
