Monthly bin collections and Council Tax
[Last updated 14/03/25]
On the bin collection proposals, Bristol is one of the best cities in the UK for recycling, with the highest recycling rate among English ‘core cities’ for eight consecutive years. But we know that recycling rates are too low across the UK – even in Bristol, less than half of waste is recycled and recycling rates are stubbornly stagnating. But I don’t think the Council reducing bin collections is the answer.
The Council says the purpose is to encourage people to recycle more, but I think we all know it’s going to lead to bad smells and many overflowing bins. And if it does increase recycling rates, are they ready to deal with the increase in demand? After all, Bristol Waste said the spike in missed collections that impacted many constituents in January (with their website often showing hundreds of streets across Bristol reporting missed recycling collections) was down to an increase in the amount of recycling waste being put out after Christmas and New Year.
I know that Horfield councillor Tom Renhard launched a petition against the proposals, which currently has more than 12,000 signatures. The Council also launched a public consultation on this matter, which closed a few days ago. In a recent development, the Council has effectively ruled out the proposed move to four-weekly black bin collections. This is good news, but we still need to wait to see the full outcome of the public consultation and whether black bin collections will be reduced to, say, once every three weeks. Any changes will go to a public meeting of the Council's Environment and Sustainability Committee.
Regarding council tax changes, this Government understands the scale of the funding crisis facing local councils after 14 years of underfunding by the Conservatives. As a consequence, in November, Bristol City Council launched a public consultation to ask residents how much Council Tax bills should rise, proposing options from zero to 10% increases for day-today services, including bin collections, and zero to 5% for social care. This consultation showed the Council would consider increasing bills by 15% in total, which I don’t believe would have been a fair or reasonable increase for Bristol residents.
You’ll be relieved to hear that this Government has introduced a stricter approach to that of the previous Conservative government on councils requesting higher council tax increases. This meant that Bristol City Council was restricted to continue to cap Council Tax bill increases to 5%. Whilst this is good news, I appreciate that any increase will be difficult for many low-income households.
To address the funding problems that councils are facing without putting the financial burden on taxpayers, the Government is working at pace with the sector to deliver the ambitious reform needed to spread power, money and resources more fairly across the country.
For the here and now, this year’s final Local Government Finance Settlement will provide a 6.8% cash-terms increase in councils’ core spending power, bringing total spending to more than £69 billion for 2025/26. Furthermore, this Government is committed to working closely with councils to provide more stability through multi-year funding settlements. It will also reform the local audit system, end the wasteful and costly bidding wars for funding pots that local councils have had to endure under the previous government, and provide a £600 million ‘Recovery Grant’ to support councils with the greatest need.
A new packaging policy will come fully into play later this year, called Extended Producer Responsibility, with money raised from this levy going back to councils to help pay for better recycling facilities. The policy will make businesses with a turnover of at least £1 million responsible for covering the costs incurred from the household packaging waste that they create, whether that's in importing goods or sending boxed products to customers across the country.