IF THERE was no charge to residents for wheelie bins and waste containers it would have cost Cumberland Council £313,000, it has been revealed.

On Tuesday (November 21), at a meeting of the full council in the Civic Centre in Carlisle, two independent councillors proposed a motion that there should not be a fee if residents needed a replacement if their bins were lost or stolen.

Councillor Stephen Stoddart (Moss Bay and Moorclose, Independent Group) proposed the motion and he was seconded by councillor Robert Betton (Botcherby, Independent Group).

Cllr Stoddart said: "In the old Allerdale Borough Council area they did not charge for their garden and household waste wheel bins, green boxes and green bags regardless of whether residents need a new one, replacement, or if one has been lost or stolen.

"Council agrees to abolish the charges for garden and household waste wheel bins, green boxes and green bags across the whole Cumberland Council area."
In response councillor Denise Rollo (Harrington, Labour), the portfolio for sustainable, resilient and connected places, said that if there was no charge it would have cost the council a total of £313,000.

She said that, by imposing a charge, it encouraged residents to look after their bins and it was a good idea to put the house number on the container to better identify it.

Cllr Betton said residents who bought newly built properties were being charged and added: "People are being charged through no fault of their own fault of their ownfor bins."

However, when the proposed motion was put to the vote it was defeated with just nine members in favour and 32 against it.