Concerns for elderly and disabled heard by New Forest District Council place and sustainability overview and scrutiny panel in new wheelie bin waste plan

VULNERABLE New Forest residents are “worried sick” and “disgusted” over the district council’s plans to roll out wheelie bins next year.

The plans were discussed at a meeting of NFDC’s place and sustainability overview and scrutiny panel, where councillors shared their concerns.

As reported in the A&T, the council has announced a timeline for its depots to receive the bins as it moves from weekly collections of general waste and recycling in sacks, in a bid to improve recycling rates.

From next year, residents will be issued with a 180-litre wheeled bin for general waste, and a 240-litre bin for recyclable items, which includes paper, card, plastic and metal, both of which would be collected fortnightly on alternate weeks.

The council will also issue each home with a 25-litre caddy for food waste, which will be collected weekly, and a 55-litre box for glass collection, collected monthly. Garden waste has been using wheelie bins since April this year.

Cllr Allan Glass told members there had been a lack of communication on how people would manage with the new system.

“The older people in the area are worried sick, and the disabled – they are just disgusted. We need to get information out to them, to stop them worrying.”

The meeting heard the council’s existing assisted collection service, which helps those with disabilities, illness or injury, would be continuing, with residents able to apply online.

Cllr Stephanie Osborne explained residents in her constituency were also worried about narrow roads which currently could not be accessed by a bin lorry.

She explained: “People are very worried. At the moment, workers go down and collect all the bags, but when this wheelie bin system comes in they want to know how they are going to be helped.”

She queried how people could access help if they were unable to get online and asked how long it would take to find out if the scheme had been successful in its aim to increase recycling rates.

Waste programme director Karyn Punchard explained the process of examining suitability of properties and roads was under way, adding: “There will be some bespoke arrangements.”

It would take around 18 months to two years to see a difference in recycling rates, she added.

Phase one of the new scheme, the Lymington depot area, will be rolled out in June 2025, followed by phase two, the Ringwood depot, in October.

Phase three, the Totton/Hardley depot, is planned for March 2026. This is slightly later, to allow for changes to collections over the Christmas period and to catch up on the bank holidays when waste operatives are not working, a report explained.

A council spokesperson said it could not confirm which areas of the New Forest would be first to receive the bins as it was still working on routes for the depots.

Speaking after the meeting, cabinet member for environment and sustainability, Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, said: “Thank you to all our residents who recycle, it makes a big difference. We will be updating our service so we can recycle even more, separate food waste, and reduce what’s thrown away.

“This is something we must do to meet government requirements to separate food waste, and our own targets to increase recycling rates, tackle climate change, and reduce the amount of overall general waste, and litter from sacks.

“We are busy working on arrangements for the updated service, to ensure it works for the long term for our residents. As we progress with this, more details will be publicised.

“Nearer the time, we will write to residents and provide further details, including dates the new service will start in their area, how to use the service, how we can offer support, any changes to collection days, and when bins will be delivered.”