The changes are designed to ensure that the two councils continue to deliver high quality and well-performing waste and street cleansing services which are both financially and environmentally sustainable. This is against a challenging financial background: reductions in government grants, significant inflation and other pressures which continue to strain council budgets nationwide.
Changes from May 2025 will include:
• Three weekly collection of mixed paper and cardboard and three weekly collection of the remaining mixed dry recycling (glass, plastic and cans, plastic bags and wrapping)
• Collection of food waste on a weekly basis
• A reduction in the number of litter bins across the district by approximately 30%, ensuring that bins are located where they are needed
• Increasing response times for non-urgent, non-scheduled work such as additional street cleansing and bin deliveries
• Reducing the number of items collected as part of a bulky waste collection from six to three
Councillor Tim Hoskin, East Herts Council’s Executive member for Environmental Sustainability, said: “Across East and North Herts, waste is collected from approximately 124,000 households and over 1,920 commercial customers. The design of this new contract follows an extensive public consultation which took place in the form of an online survey in July and August 2022. Both councils shared the details of the consultation via social media channels, via councillors and by notifying local parishes. We believe these changes will ensure we get the balance right between achieving value for money for our residents while supporting our environmental aims.”
Carl Brittain, East Herts Council’s Executive Member for Financial Sustainability said: “Waste services are currently going through a competitive procurement process. On-going inflation means that the new contract will cost more than the existing one, operated by Urbaser since 2018. This has major implications for the council’s finances. These changes will help ensure we are not obliged to make cuts to other vital services.”
East Herts Council has already started the phasing in of 180L purple-lidded bins to replace existing 240L black lidded general waste bins. The transition means that bin sizes and colours will be standardised across East and North Herts which will save money and improve stock levels. Larger bins will remain available for households who need them, such as those with multiple children using nappies or those with other special waste needs.
