Bringing in wheelie bins and introducing a fortnightly waste collection has been formally approved after a dramatic meeting at Merton Council.

An overview and scrutiny panel led a heated debate on Tuesday, August 2, in a meeting that carried on late into the night and was attended by so many members of the public that it had to be moved to the full council chamber.

Serious concerns over the wheelie bins and proposed fortnightly collections were raised by members of the opposition, the public and representatives from local groups including Sustainable Merton and Age UK Merton, who accused the council of holding a flawed consultation, not considering the difficulties for elderly and disabled residents and failing to uphold their manifesto commitment to maintain weekly rubbish collections.

July 19: Council accused of breaking manifesto pledge over planned wheelie bin scheme

However, cabinet member for environmental cleanliness and parking, Councillor Ross Garrod, insisted that the concerns of residents would be listened to and that the bins would “bring refuse collection into the twenty-first century”.

The scheme, which will be implemented in October 2018 if the council’s preferred waste contractor Veolia takes over waste collection and street cleaning services as part of the South London Waste Partnership, would roll out wheelie bins and recycling boxes across the borough.

For each house this will include two wheelie bins – one for non-recyclable household waste and one for paper and card - as well as box for plastics, glass and cans and a food waste caddy.

However, Cllr Garrod said some flats and smaller homes would not be given wheelie bins if it was not practical.

Food waste will continue to be collected weekly. However, household waste will only be collected once a fortnight, with the two recycling collections operating on alternative weeks.

A six month trial on the bin collection was carried out in Lavender Fields last year. Councillor Abigail Jones insisted that, of the 1,000 households trialled, 89 per cent said they were happy with the service, 81 per cent said streets were cleaner and 95 per cent said the bins were easy to use.

However, the pilot was dismissed by Conservative councillors, who argued the trial was based on weekly collections rather than fortnightly and had allowed for mixed recycling, rather than the need to sort it by hand.

Leader of the Merton Conservatives, Councillor Oonagh Moulton, said: “Your consultation was flawed and as we have heard tonight a lot of residents are totally unaware that this is happening

“There’s been no assessment done from the point of view of our more elderly and disabled residents.”

June 15: 'Mucky Merton' set for wheelie bins and fortnightly household waste collections

Councillor David Williams said: “It’s particularly the lack of consultation that vexes me. I don’t have an objection to a wheelie bin but I do have an objection to the concept of forcing them on an unwilling and, as we have heard, uninformed public.”

Paula Bailey represented Age UK Merton at the meeting. Despite assurances that an assisted waste collection scheme was available to help older and disabled residents with their rubbish collections, Ms Bailey said she had not been aware that such a scheme existed and was not aware of a single person who used it.

She added: "It’s a particular problem for those with dementia or memory problems where they aren’t able to work out which bin they need.

"Most people don’t want to have two wheelie bins in their front garden and many don’t have the space to accommodate them anyway.

"Wheelie bins are large and not easy to move for smaller frailer people or those with a level of immobility."

Cllr Garrod said: “This isn’t a one size fits all scheme. We have made this clear.

"I am willing to listen to resident’s concerns, as I have been. We are a listening council.

“We are one of the last boroughs in London to adopt wheelie bins. Residents don’t have anything to fear. These wheelie bins are practical, they will be an improvement and they will make your streets cleaner.”

However, local campaigner and founder of Merton Matters, Dan Goode, said: “Anyone who thinks this will address the ingrained littering culture that Merton has is frankly deluded.

“It’s about time Merton Council start listening to residents and stop treating these residents who are standing up and trying to make a difference as trouble makers who are trying to make cheap political points. We stand up because we care deeply about where we live, and I wish Merton would listen.”

What do you think? Email letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk