UTTLESFORD’S waste collection service is set for a major revamp under plans which could save taxpayers �300,000 a year.

Subject to cabinet approval, the changes to provide “better waste and recycling collection service to residents” will be put in place in spring 2012.

It will mean that glass bottles and jars can be put in with the recycling and will see the brown-lidded bin, which many residents find is too big for their kitchen waste, replaced with smaller kitchen caddies.

The council is also looking at the possibility of introducing a subscription-based garden waste collection service – but needs to know now whether residents would be interested in this new service.

The charge would be �40 for the year, plus an additional one-off fee of about �20 to cover the cost of the bin. Residents who opt in will receive an additional wheeled bin in which they can place all their garden waste. This will be emptied fortnightly except between December and March.

However, the viability of the scheme depends on the number of people who register and where they live in the district.

Cabinet member for environmental services, Cllr Susan Barker, said: “We really need to find out now how many people would be interested in the garden waste service, which can only go ahead if enough people take advantage of it.

“If you think you would like to have your garden waste collected from your property, it is very important that you register an interest before the end of August.”

Other changes being planned to the waste collection service include moving to a four-day week for collections, changes/removal of the ‘village skip’ green waste collections, and ending the village civic amenity skip service.

It will also see public bottle banks removed from some car parks.

“While the current three-bin system has proved very successful and has led to the district having one of the highest recycling rates in the country, there are three issues which people have repeatedly said they would like addressed – the lack of kerbside glass collection, the size of the brown bin and the arrangements for collecting garden waste,” explained Cllr Baker.

“I’m very pleased that these proposed changes address all these points and would make the system even better for everyone who uses it.”

The shake up comes as the council’s fleet of refuse vehicles is up for renewal. Significant technological advances means the council can take advantage of new multi-stream collection vehicles which allow kitchen waste and recycling/non-recycling to be collected by a single lorry. That will see the fleet reduced by five vehicles, from 15 to 10.

In addition, the processing plant where the district’s recycling goes can now accept glass mixed in with other recyclable items.

It is anticipated that these changes will result in savings of around �300,000, a significant sum which will go towards the council’s need to reduce running costs by �2 million over the next few years.

• To register an interest in the garden waste kerbside collection, visit uttlesford.gov.uk and fill in the simple registration form. Residents without internet access should call the customer service centre on 01799 510510.

WHAT do you think of the new waste collection service plans? Will you be signing up for the garden waste kerbside collection service? E-mail us at editor@dunmow-broadcast.co.uk