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Properties on a Friday week 1 Waste and Recycling collection incorrectly showing a non-recycling collection due today 19th April 2025.

We are aware of an error impacting Friday week 1 waste collections, which meant some properties showed a non-recycling waste collection due today, 19th April, on Where I Live and the Our Street App, ahead of weekly collections starting from 28th April. This collection was showing in error and the issue which caused this has now been resolved. As per the fortnightly week 1 waste collection still active, your next collection was due Saturday 26th April, and weekly thereafter. Please therefore take your black wheelie bin back in and represent this on your next collection date. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience that this error may have caused.

In the News: Council welcomes Wickford Area Committee's decision to fund free evening and weekend parking

The Basildon Councillor responsible for Environment and Leisure has praised the decision made last night by members of the Wickford Area Committee to fund two hours of free parking during evenings and weekends.

Cllr Aidan McGurran is now calling on members of the Billericay Area Committee to honour their commitment to serve their communities by allocating funds for similar free parking initiatives in Billericay. 

Cllr McGurran explained: "We recognize that parking has become a sensitive issue, and we must tackle it pragmatically. Our goal is to meet the needs of residents, visitors, and businesses while keeping our budget manageable. 

"This year, we are tasked with finding £2.9 million in savings after last year's £6 million in-year savings. While these decisions are challenging, they are crucial to safeguard essential services and allow us to prioritise key projects, such as the £2 million investment to reinstate our weekly bin collections." 

Earlier this month, Basildon Council Leader, Cllr Gavin Callaghan, wrote to the Chairs of both Billericay and Wickford town councils to discuss the proposal of introducing evening and weekend parking charges in council-owned car parks. In his letter, Cllr Callaghan sought practical solutions to manage parking pressures while ensuring local businesses continue to benefit. 

Cllr McGurran added: "The area committees and town councils have access to a pool of over £1 million in taxpayer funds, which could be used to support this initiative. Since car parking is a discretionary service rather than a statutory requirement, we must explore alternative funding sources." 

"We have always maintained that the area committees have additional funds from local taxes that could support the continuation of free parking, and Wickford's decision has validated that position. I'm pleased that Wickford has done the right thing, and I sincerely hope Billericay will follow suit. The responsibility now lies with their Area Committee to act in the best interests of their residents and local businesses." 

"If the Billericay Area Committee is willing to address these concerns, we could delay implementing changes until 1 May 2025, instead of the originally planned date of 1 April." 

Ends 

Published 28 March 2025.