East Suffolk Council has set a date for the resumption of its garden waste collection service.

Operations will restart on Bank Holiday Monday May 25, following an earlier suspension due to the impact of COVID-19, and all subscribers will receive their first collection during the subsequent fortnight. The Council has taken the decision to restart the service having been satisfied that criteria to ensure the safety of operatives have been met.

Cllr James Mallinder, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “We greatly appreciate the support and understanding that residents have shown following the suspension of our garden waste collection service. We said at the time that we would be looking to resume this service as soon as it is safe to do so and we are pleased that the safety criteria have now been met.

“In a large, rural district, with over 50,000 subscribers, managing collections whilst implementing social distancing is a considerable challenge. However, we are satisfied that we can deliver the service, while also ensuring that no more than two operatives are in each vehicle cab at any given time. 

“Given the complexities of this situation, it is critical that we get this absolutely right and ensure that the service returns reliably. Once again, we would like to thank customers for their patience and support for our crews, and encourage residents to compost or retain their garden waste at home until the service resumes.”

Full details of the restart, including any changes to collection dates and payments or renewals will be confirmed shortly. Subscribers are asked not to call or email the Council about their collection at this time – all will be contacted individually in due course to confirm the new arrangements.