Birmingham roadshows prepare for wheelie bins

A month-long roadshow has opened in Birmingham as the council prepares to introduce wheelie bins to some parts of the city.

The city was awarded £30m by the government in November to preserve weekly waste collections.

Birmingham City Council said wheelie bins would help modernise the service and make it more affordable in the long term.

Critics have described the bins as unsightly and an eyesore.

One local resident, Robert Rogers, said he believed the council had failed to listen to local people on the issue and had seriously underestimated the strength of opposition.

Currently waste teams pick up plastic bin bags from street corners and Mr Rogers said many people in the city simply did not have room to store the large new bins.

The roadshows are focusing on the Brandwood and Harborne areas, where two pilot wheelie bin schemes are due to be launched over the next few weeks.

'Encouraging' feedback

Councillor James McKay, responsible for waste services, is also due to host a webchat between 18:00 and 19:00 BST on Wednesday to answer questions online.

He said much of the feedback had so far been very "encouraging" and the roadshows would give people a chance to see the wheelie bins and ask questions.

The new bins are due to be delivered in Brandwood in the week beginning 27 May and in Harborne in the week of 17 June, with collections starting in the week after delivery.

They are expected to be rolled out to the rest of the city's almost 450,000 homes later in the year.

Labour councillor Rob Pocock said it was important the local authority listened to what people had to say during the consultation.

He said: "We're going to have to think harder and listen to the residents but then that's what democracy is all about.

"The system's got to suit local areas, otherwise people won't have a system they support.

"If people don't support it, they won't recycle, they're not going to throw their rubbish away in the proper way and the council will end up with an even bigger problem."

The Labour-led council has previously said wheelie bins would help to save money and protect cuts to other services.