We, the residents of Northampton, call upon West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) to abandon proposals to reduce our black bin (residual waste) collections from every two weeks to every three weeks.

West Northamptonshire Council is currently moving to bring waste and recycling services "in-house" from 2028, aiming to create a "single approach" across Northampton, Daventry, and South Northamptonshire. While we acknowledge that direct council control could offer "greater transparency" and "freedom to adapt" to national changes, reducing the frequency of essential collections is not a benefit—it is a significant cut to a vital public service.

This proposal comes at a time when residents are being asked to pay more for less. WNC has recently voted through a Council Tax increase of 4.95% for the 2026/27 financial year. Furthermore, residents are facing a rise in garden waste charges to £69 per year and substantial hikes in car parking fees and residents' permits across the town centre. It is professionally and morally indefensible to demand record-high contributions from taxpayers while simultaneously eroding the basic services those taxes are meant to fund.

The Council’s drive for a "single approach" ignores the geographical reality of our county. Northampton is a large, densely populated urban town with very different needs compared to the rural areas and smaller towns, such as Daventry, where three-week collections have already been introduced. Urban living often means smaller outdoor spaces and higher housing density; what might be manageable in a rural village is entirely unsuitable for a major town like ours.

The consequences of this change are clear and frightening:

Hygiene and Vermin: Leaving household waste for three weeks, particularly during the summer heat, will inevitably lead to foul odours and attract rats and other vermin, posing a genuine public health risk.

Impact on Families: This change will hit families with children the hardest. Households with young children and those using nappies produce higher volumes of waste that simply cannot be hygienically stored for twenty-one days.

WNC claims their aim is to "improve and meet the needs of our communities". We believe that meeting those needs must start with maintaining a reliable, fortnightly black bin collection.

Sign this petition to tell West Northamptonshire Council: We pay for a service, and we expect it to be delivered. No to three-week bin collections!