Enfield residents’ green bin and food collection service will continue to be collected free of charge, but from next April the service will go fortnightly, after the Council’s Cabinet agreed last night (19 October) to the cost-cutting proposal.

The decision followed a comprehensive consultation with local residents, which showed that 87 per cent of people were in favour of a free fortnightly green bin collection, compared with just 13 per cent who supported a charged-for £60 a year weekly collection.

In total 3,191 people took part in the consultation.

Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Daniel Anderson, said: “As a result of major reductions in government funding, affecting councils across the country, we are faced with making significant cuts to services.

“In Enfield we have had to make cuts of £118m since 2010 and now need to find additional savings of £56m by 2019/20.

“Surprisingly green bin collections are non-statutory and many councils now routinely provide the service on a fortnightly basis or even less frequently. In addition, some also charge for the removal of green bins.

“Minded by the results of the consultation, Cabinet has agreed to move to fortnightly green bin collections; however, residents can rest assured that we will continue to provide weekly black bin and blue bin recycling collections.”

Further communications will be sent to residents, prior to the revised service being implemented, explaining what their collection arrangements will be.