Bin workers to switch to four-day weeks

Bin workers are to switch to four-day weeks and recycling collections will be made on alternate fortnights, North Yorkshire Council has announced.

Refuse workers will work the same number of hours as they do now but those hours will be condensed into four days, from Tuesdays to Fridays.

Greg White, the council's executive member who covers waste services, said the change would ensure "best value for money for taxpayers".

He said: "We are making sure we do everything we can to increase recycling rates and contribute to our plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions."

Households will have a collection for paper and card and another one for other recyclable materials, including glass, cans, plastic and cartons, on alternate fortnights, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The changes are a result of the amalgamation of the county's old borough and district councils into North Yorkshire's unitary authority.

Refuse teams in some parts of the county are already working four-day weeks.

Council chiefs have estimated the initial cost of implementing the change will be about £8m, but it is estimated it could save the authority about £560,000 a year.

Mr White added: "The new model will also mean everyone across North Yorkshire receives the same service, regardless of where they live.

The new system will be introduced in the Malton area this summer and rolled out across the county over the next two to three years.

Non-recyclable waste will continue to be collected every two weeks.

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