Garden bin charges prompt collection review

Collection of the brown-lidded bins has been subject to a £40 annual charge since June

Some Coventry residents may see changes to bin collections as the city council assesses take-up of its paid-for garden waste service.

A report to councillors predicted a "full optimisation of routes" would see changes in collection weeks for about 7,000 properties.

The authority said the £40-a-year service, introduced in June, had attracted widely-differing levels of subscription, ranging from 7% of homes in St Michaels to 72% in Earlsdon.

Nearly 50,000 households have paid for the service, bringing in just under £2m.

Figures prepared for the council's Communities and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Board show that the amount of garden waste collected had fallen by about 40% in the months since the scheme was introduced.

However, alongside the decrease of more than 3,700 tonnes of garden waste comparing June to September against previous years, standard domestic waste increased by 343 tonnes.

Another 233 tonnes of garden waste was taken to tips in the city.

There have also been increased reports of fly-tipping during 2024, though that pattern was present before the charges began.

The report said that communication with residents affected by changes in collection would begin shortly.