KNUTSFORD Town Councillors have branded Cheshire East Council’s extended green bin suspension ‘ridiculous’ and criticised the borough council for not consulting them on the changes.

At a meeting of the Environment and General Purposes Committee on Monday evening, December 2, all councillors present expressed their anger at Cheshire East Council’s decision to increase its no collection period from two to four months in the winter period.

The decision has come under fire from residents since changes were announced but it is not just the reduction in service that has upset the councillors but the lack of communication between the borough council and Knutsford Town Council.

Clr Yvonne Bancroft, speaking at the committee meeting, said: “It really annoys me when Cheshire East pulls a service, especially as they said they were going to consult with the town council.

“There was no consultation with us whatsoever and that really makes me cross. They are not fulfilling the needs of the residents. We are a leafy area and still need the service.”

Clr Simon Hutchence echoed Clr Bancroft’s views and said that, while he understands the council’s decision to cease the service at quieter times of the year in a bid to save money, the no collection period, November 18 to March 14, is too excessive.

He added: “We all know leaves don’t fall uniformly, on one day of the year, and it’s not unusual to have leaves still falling. I feel that calling a complete stop to the service is a bit ridiculous.”

In mid-November, Cheshire East announced that residents, for the next two collections, could deposit their green waste in their main black bins to help alleviate the problem.

Although the town councillors welcomed this decision, they all agreed that it was not the solution to collection issue.

Clr Bancroft added: “This nonsense of saying put the green waste in the black bin is hardly a fantastic way of promoting recycling and helping the environment.”

Clr Vivien Davies, who chaired the meeting, also shared her concern about the affect the reduction in service would have on the elderly residents of the town.

She said that the suggested alternatives for storing or disposing of green waste was unrealistic, especially for the elderly, who may not be physically fit to take their waste to the tip or compost it at home.

On Clr Tony Dean’s suggestion, all four town councillors agreed that a letter should be sent to Cheshire East Council on behalf of the town council, requesting that any future decisions of a similar nature should be subject to a consultation with the town councils affected.