Rothwell was the first ward in Leeds to benefit from weekly collections of food waste, but because of how the collection routes are worked out it didn’t benefit the whole ward. While about 8,500 homes were included in the pilot scheme there were about 300 homes in Carlton and on Leadwell Lane that missed out.
The good news is that those homes will very soon start to get a weekly food waste collection.
It’s something that I’ve been asking to happen since even before I became a councillor, so I’m delighted it is finally going to.
Lots of local people have told told me that they like to do their bit for the environment and are keen recyclers, but I’ve always had complaints that not everyone could recycle their food waste and it had to go into landfill.
Initially some people might find the new collection cycles to be confusing, but the council is trying to make it as easy as possible for people by making the collections on the same day every week. Black waste bins will be emptied one week with the green recycling bins emptied on the alternative week and the food bins every week. So all you need to do is know what day of the week to put your bins out and then to make sure it is the right colour one.
The new food waste bins and information packs will be delivered to homes over the next few weeks and the new collection scheme will start in April. You’ll get two bins, one for inside your house and one for outside.
The Leeds City Council website has lots of information about bins and rubbish collection including what goes in your food bin and what goes in your green recycling bin. It’s not always easy to know what goes in the green bin as lots of things that can be recycled can’t be put in the recycling bin! One of the odd ones is tetrapaks (juice cartons) which can be recycled, but can’t be put in the recycling bin and have to be taken to a recycling centre along with glass bottles. The brown bins are for garden waste such as grass cuttings, hedge clippings and leaves. The brown bin collection service will start again in March and happens every two weeks.
I’ve just received news that confirms what I’d heard in my last meeting with Chief Fire Officer Simon Pilling – Rothwell fire station will stay open! Both I and Councillor David Nagle want to say a huge, huge thank you to everyone that worked so hard to help us with the Save Our Station campaign. 
Just to update on the proposed development of 14 houses on an area of land off Shayfield Lane, in Carlton, which has been nurtured through farming for decades. The land lies between the houses on Queens Drive and the children’s play area and fields.
I’d like to start by wishing everyone in Rothwell, Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton a very happy New Year!
