Green waste collection - early sign up discount extended to 22 November

If you have been trying to use the council website over the past couple of days, you will have experienced problems (sadly outside our control). 

This has meant that those trying to sign up to the Early Bird discount offer have missed the original deadline. I contacted the cabinet member in charge earlier today and he's agreed to extend the sign up period by a week to help out those affected by the website outage. 

You have to sign up to the scheme online and if you do so before 22 November 2013, you will only have to pay £30. Signing up afterwards will cost £35 and this price will apply until the 31 July 2014, when the price drops to £17.50 for the remainder of the year. .

We'll provide 20 collections over the collection season in 2014 - February to November. Most properties will be supplied with a wheeled bin, but some properties may be deemed unsuitable and will be supplied with 60 special green bags for the year.

You will also be able to take green waste to our Household Recycling Centres at no cost.

The best option for your green waste is to compost it at home - that cuts out all the carbon emissions from transporting it. You can get some advice on it here.

Don't forget that we are now into the final cycle of green waste collections for this year. 

Changes to green waste collections for 2014

The last green waste collections this year will be in the fortnight between the 15 and 29 November, depending on your normal collection day.

Collections will restart in the fortnightly cycle beginning the 24 February 2014. This will no longer be a free service - we simply can't afford to maintain it, thanks to swingeing government cuts.

You have to sign up to the scheme online and if you do so before 15 November 2013, you will only have to pay £30. Signing up afterwards will cost £35 and this price will apply until the 31 July 2014, when the price drops to £17.50 for the remainder of the year. .

We'll provide 20 collections over the collection season in 2014 - February to November. Most properties will be supplied with a wheeled bin, but some properties may be deemed unsuitable and will be supplied with 60 special green bags for the year.

You will also be able to take green waste to our Household Recycling Centres at no cost.

The best option for your green waste is to compost it at home - that cuts out all the carbon emissions from transporting it. You can get some advice on it here.

Acocks Green Neighbourhood Forum

Another well-attended meeting of this group, which gathers at the Baptist Church on Yardley Road and it was particularly good to see some new residents - including one couple who had only moved in that day and another who had been here for about five weeks.

We had a couple of council officers there - Noel from Fleet and Waste and Paul from Highways. This ensured a lively discussion on bins, litter, green waste and various highways issues. Cllr Stacey and I supported the officers, explaining the politics behind the decisions that have been taken and reassuring residents about some of the more outlandish claims that have been made. I also had the chance to explain the reality behind our financial position, a case I can't make too often. One resident was under the impression that she be required to have her wheeled bin cleaned on a monthly basis at her own cost - I was delighted to explain the truth behind that little false fact. Cllr Stacey also updated residents on the future of our leisure centres and swimming pool, again laying to rest some of the scaremongering that has been going on.

There was also a discussion about the LSTF plans for the Warwick Road and the working of the Amey contract to maintain our roads. I was able to update those present on the progress towards getting the remaining stretch of Yardley Road resurfaced, which is on course for the next six months or so.

I always enjoy those meetings and this was no exception.

Green Waste Collections Restart

As from this week, the green waste collection across Birmingham restarts. It will happen on the usual cycle, so if you have your recylates collected this week, your first green waste collection will be next week. If you had your recyclates collected last week, then this should be your first green waste collection of the new season. There will be no charge for the service this year.

Green Waste Collections end for winter on Dec 7

Just a reminder to all those keen garden waste recyclers - the last green waste collections of the season will be made on your usual fortnightly cycle between the 26th November and 7 December.

They will restart on the cycle beginning the 25th February 2013.