Green Bin subscriptions down by more than 1,000 after last year’s strike action

THE full impact of the refuse collectors’ strike last year is laid bare in Warrington with green bin subscriptions down by more than 1,000.

A year ago, the long-running dispute blighted the town in a tussle over pay and conditions which dragged on for three months from October to December.
Strikes took place for 13 days between October 3 and 16 and then October 24 to November 6 last year.
There were further strikes on November 8 to 20 and finally November 21 to December 4.
As the 2024 green bin waste collections end for this year on December 6, Warrington Worldwide asked Warrington Borough Council for figures on the number of green bin subscribers across the town in 2024 with comparative figures for 2023.
Not surprisingly, the impact of the dispute has had a detrimental effect on take up of the vital income generator for the cash-strapped authority which is struggling to balance its books.
The council has issued a recruitment freeze for all non-essential jobs as it faces an overspend of £28.1m during the current financial year.

This is due to increased demand for services including adult social care and homelessness with a lack of sufficient income and inflationary pressure.
As a result of the bitter bin dispute, thousands of residents and businesses in Warrington went for weeks on end without their bins being emptied and rubbish piled up.
At the end of the strike in December 2023, Warrington Borough Council said it had reached an agreement with union members from Unite and collections could resume.
And Unite said it had secured an improved deal from the local authority.
In addition to the council tax, which all residents pay to fund essential services, there’s an additional £42 to £46 optional levy which households pay for removing their green garden waste bins fortnightly between March and early December.
The cost of the service varies from the lower £42 subscription online to £46 for in person or over the phone.
The green bin collection service sees grass clippings, flowers, plants, leaves, cuttings and other garden waste collected fortnightly for nine out of 12 months.
Only subscribers get their green bins emptied by Warrington Council’s refuse collection teams.
Residents displaying the permit stickers on their bins showing they’ve paid enabling them to have the green bins emptied.

Official figures show that in the last year, the number of subscribers for the green waste service in Warrington was 43,150; this year it’s 42,125 or a reduction of 1,025 bins or 2.3%.
No refund on 2024 subscriptions or council tax refunds were issued to residents as a result of the dispute.
At the time, the council said: “We understand that not having your household waste or recycling bins emptied is frustrating.
“That being said, council tax is and remains a tax. That means households legally have to pay their council tax bill, even if services are disrupted, or even if people don’t use certain services.
“A mechanism for this type of refund does not exist.”

The income generated from green bins subscriptions for 2024 for the cash-strapped local authority is £1.6m, the Council told Warrington Worldwide.
A Warrington Borough Council spokesperson said: “Our green waste service allows us to recycle thousands of tonnes of garden waste every year. The income we receive contributes towards the operational costs of the service, including staffing, vehicle-running and waste disposal costs.”
Explaining the need to charge the subscription, the council tells residents: “The money we receive from central government has reduced year on year and has affected the services we can provide.
“There is now not enough money to support a free garden waste collection and instead of shutting the service down we still offer it for a small fee.”
Last December, the refuse collector pay dispute finally was resolved.
During the stand off, the Unite trade union accused the authority of “dither and delay” while the council sought High Court action at a cost of £50k to the local taxpayer.
During the strike, some residents reported vermin including rats and squirrels rifling through piled up refuse sacks during the strike. Fly tipping also increased as frustrated residents took matters into their own hands or were targeted by private firms offering to remove their waste – at a cost.
Writing on Warrington Worldwide at the time, a resident said: “Might get one of my bins emptied on Christmas Eve, paid £90 up to now having bins emptied, £90 of which could have gone on Christmas presents.”
And the impact of last year’s strike is clearly evident in more than 1,000 fewer green bin subscribers.