Garden waste collections in Reading are suspended over staff shortages
Council blame covid for early end to collections
Garden waste collections in Reading have been suspended two weeks earlier than planned.
The council say it's due to staff shortages caused by covid-19.
The collections won't now restart until early in the new year.
The council say that as the usual two week Christmas break in garden waste collections is already accounted for as part of the schedule, existing green bin or bag subscribers will get a two week extension to their collection period next year. This is in addition to any weeks lost due to interruptions caused by COVID-19 during the summer.
Garden waste collections are currently scheduled to resume from Monday 10 January.
Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, Lead Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, said:
“With staff sickness meaning additional pressures on waste collections, we have taken the unfortunate but practical decision to start our Christmas garden waste pause earlier than usual.
“Despite recruiting extra staff earlier in the year, with illness levels currently so high we simply don’t have enough crews to empty our usual 30,000 bins a day. The demand for garden waste collections is lower at this time of year and, combined with Christmas being by far the busiest time for all our residual waste and priority recycling collections, that has to be our focus at this time.
“All being well, we look forward to resuming garden waste collections in the new year. In the meantime, if you are able to store your garden waste at home or book a slot at the re3 centre then please do so. As ever, thank you to all our green waste subscribers for their patience.”