Extended parking charges agreed

Early evening and Sunday parking charges are to be introduced after key changes to parking and waste collection arrangement were agreed by East Hertford District Council on Tuesday (25th October 2022).

The measures include extending charging hours from 6:30pm to 8pm nd the introduction of a flat rate £1.50 charge on Sundays.

Proposals to remove free parking periods have been deferred in response to residents’ concerns and will be considered as part of the council’s wider budget setting process.

The new charges will come in to force in January 2023.

The meeting also saw the Executive approve the introduction of a new weekly collection of food waste and the collection of black bins for general waste every three weeks. The council will also begin to accept soft plastics as part of fortnightly recycling collections and supply a smaller 180L size replacement for black bins when they are lost or damaged.

Recycling and waste services are currently provided through a shared service and contract with North Herts Council, which last night also agreed to three-weekly collections.

The changes will reduce waste and increase recycling, as well as reduce pressure on budgets as the council seeks to cope with at least £4m worth of extra financial pressure over the next few years.

Councillor Graham McAndrew, Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability, said: "Last night, we agreed changes that will help us respond to two significant challenges: the environmental impact of how we collect and dispose of waste, and the intensified pressure on local government finances.

"We have heard concerns raised by some residents about their black bins and I would like to reassure those residents that by removing food waste and soft plastics, we are confident they will see a big difference in the space they need for non-recyclables. 

"That said, we do understand there are some households that produce more waste which cannot be recycled – such as those living in larger households, those with multiple children using nappies, or people with other special waste needs – and we will have service options in place to help them.

"I would also like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to us on the parking proposals; your feedback has been reflected in the revised plans, which we will now work towards putting in place for January 2023."