COUNCILLORS from the new Independents for B&NES movement have criticised council plans on waste collection for businesses.

From, September any business in the centre of Bath will only be able to have their waste collected between the hours of 6pm and 8.30pm, a change from the current 5pm to 8.45pm window.

This means that businesses may have to pay a member of staff to stay on in the workplace to oversee the waste collection.

Feedback from a survey sent out by Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Council say that the changes are expected to cost local businesses an extra £3,000 per year.

The survey, carried out earlier this year saw responses from over 100 businesses from within Bath city centre. It also suggested that 93 per cent of respondents did not support the new collection times.

Councillor Gavin Heathcote (Independent, Peasedown), member of the council’s Independents for B&NES group, said: “You just couldn’t make it up. At a time when businesses are struggling to pay their bills and keep their doors open, Lib Dem run B&NES Council now plans to change their waste collection times that will cost businesses and the taxpayer even more.”

Cllr Chris Warren (Independent, Saltford) added: “B&NES Council seems determined to make life as difficult as possible for local businesses and anyone who runs or works for one.

“Despite an incredible 93 per cent of respondents to a council run survey saying they did not support the changes to waste collection times, the local authority seems determined to press ahead anyway, regardless”

The five waste collection contractors who responded to the survey cited concerns around efficiency, cost, and environmental impact. Grist and MJ Church both indicated that they would be forced to increase the number of vehicles required to collect within the two hour window to be able to service all customers.

Independents for B&NES have suggested that this could also raise carbon emissions due to more journeys made to and from Bath, and that the changes will have an impact on the council’s budget too, as the cost of employing an additional enforcement officer on a 12-month basis would be estimated to be £48,400.

Cllr Karen Walker (Independent, Peasedown), group leader for the Independents for B&NES, said: “On balance, the consultation has shown that small businesses could be detrimentally affected by a change in permitted collection times during a period of economic challenge.

“There is also a risk that this change in policy could undermine the progress made in improving the public realm in recent years, particularly if it results in business waste bags being left unattended for extended periods.

“Despite these waste collection changes being hugely unpopular with almost every local business, and B&NES taxpayers having to foot the bill for an extra waste enforcement officer. The Liberal Democrat leadership at the council is adamant that these changes need to happen.”

Bath and North East Somerset Council have been approached for comment.