Lewisham Council has backed off the idea of making green recycling bin collections fortnightly instead of weekly as they are now.
The Council confirmed that in a response to a Freedom of Information request from the Taxpayers Alliance, it said it was investigating the idea, but has now decided not to go ahead.
The Council told the Lee Manor Society ” We have no plans to change waste and recycling collection frequency. Food and recycling collections will remain weekly; waste collections will remain fortnightly.
“We responded to an FOI request that asked if we had considered changing the frequency of our recycling collections. While the idea was put forward for consideration, it was never progressed. Any change would be subject to consultation.”
Council sources, however, say it’s not surprising Lewisham is looking at a range of options for saving money. Like most local authorities it is under a lot of financial pressure.
Lewisham Council’s 2024/25 budget includes a forecast net deficit of £1.764 million, after using £21.7 million from reserves to help bridge the gap.
Lewisham Council has confirmed that it is looking at the idea of reducing its recycling bin collections to every other week, as it currently does with general waste bins.
In a response to a Freedom of Information request from the Taxpayers Alliance, the Council confirmed that it is investigating the possibility of providing alternate weekly recycling collections which are currently weekly .
Lee Manor Society has asked the Council for details of when this idea was discussed by Councillors.
Council sources say it’s unsurprising that Lewisham is looking at the idea, since like all local authorities it has a large financial deficit. In the coming year it will have a deficit of £1.7 million after using £21.7 million of its reserves to bridge the gap.
Here are the maps which the Council has posted on its website with proposals sketched out:
It’s suggested that the Council’s longer-term plan is to implement all-day CPZs in other areas which already have a two-hour parking restriction to prevent commuters parking on residential streets all day.
Residents in a CPZ would be able to buy a parking permit so they can park on the road. The council has set out the costs as follows:
All non-housing estate residents receive a 15% discount in the first year, with the yearly for between £42 – £372 depending on your type of vehicle. Permits for residents of housing estates are between £10 – £87. It will also be possible to buy vouchers for visitors, though of course it would be expensive if someone was visiting all day.
The Council says its Sustainable Streets programme aims to reduce the number of car journeys made in Lewisham and encourage more people to walk, cycle or use public transport, to reduce air pollution, traffic and congestion, improve road safety and lower carbon emissions.
Its proposals include a range of other ideas:
More street trees
Secure cycle storage
Electric vehicle charging points
Safer crossing points
Car club bays
Charles Batchelor of the Lee Manor Society has written to Lewisham Council objecting to the plan for all-day CPZs, which he said would impose an unnecessary inconvenience on local people moving around. He added “ On the other side of Burnt Ash Road, in the conservation area, the parking restriction runs from 10am to noon. This is perfectly adequate to deter commuter parking while allowing residents to go about their business unimpeded for much of the day. I can see no reason why these more limited hours would not work in the Leyland Road area.”
Frances Migniuolo of Lee Fair Share and the Lee Manor Society added “The proposals seem very crude and are likely to discriminate against certain groups. They will not affect residents in big houses with generous driveways as much, as they will have space for two cars plus on their driveways. They would impact more on those living in terraced housing with little or no driveways.”
44 objections have been submitted against a planning application for land adjoining Buckden Close in Lee. Last night (Wednesday 15th January) Lewisham Council held an online Q and A session between the developers and the objectors.
Amalaki Developments Ltd wants to put up a three storey building containing nine flats.
The plan also includes a proposal for four car parking spaces on a small area of green open land that sits within the Lee Manor Conservation Area, located behind numbers 113-133 Burnt Ash Road.
Initially the Council is only considering an outline application to establish if the site has suitable access.
At the Q and A session a Lewisham Planning Officer put the objectors’ questions to Amalaki, but the residents themselves weren’t allowed to speak. Lewisham has promised to publish the questions and answers in due course.
Lee Manor Society has objected to the use of green open land on the site that sits within the Lee Manor Conservation area for a proposed use as car parking. The Applicant has not yet shown how this loss of green open space can in anyway ‘conserve or enhance the Conservation area’.
The Application can be viewed by searching for ‘Buckden Close’ on Lewisham’s Planning website https://lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/planning/find-comment-planning-applications and finding the Application reference number DC/24/137866.