The Council confirmed 2 weeks ago that there will be no supplementary charge for emptying the first green bin at each home.

However, at tonights (Thursdays) Council meeting Labour rejected calls from LibDem and Tory Councillors to abolish the proposed £35 a year charge for second and subsequent additional green bins.

The reduced hours of operation at the Towthorpe recycling centre were also confirmed.

Liberal Democrats Councillors will make a final bid to have the changes overturned when the Councils Cabinet meets on Tuesday of next week.

A petition containing around 2000 signatures opposing Labours plans has been collected by the LibDems.

Meanwhile, Monday 1 April will see the council resume the schedule of fortnightly garden waste collections.

When residents check their waste collections calendars next week they will probably be surprised to find that it runs out at the end of March and no updated one has been delivered.

In an email to me Officers have said “We will not be sending out replacement ones at this time as in June the round restructure will be implemented and we will be sending out new full year calendars to all households in anticipation of the start of the new collection rounds.

We have however produced interim calendars for April until June that are available on the Postcode Lookup service on the CYC website or by contacting the York Customer Centre either via email or phone. We are advertising their availability widely. Our advertising also advises residents of the return to fortnightly garden waste collections from 1st April.”

With no regular city wide Council publication the Council is relying more and more on electronic communication which can leave those without internet access in the dark about changes to Council services.

Residents will be well advised to keep their eye out for the new calendars as the “round restructure” will be a major change to the current system. Waste and recycling will no longer be collected on the same day on alternate weeks and residents will not only have to remember is it is “grey waste” or “recycling” week but which day of the week to leave their waste out.

Residents can find their collection calendar by clicking here and are advised to refer to their calendar to find out what the arrangements are over the Spring months.

For more information about garden waste collections over the Spring period click here

Residents who would like a paper copy of the collection calendar are asked to contact 01904 551551or email ycc@york.gov.uk