Plans to harmonise Westmorland and Furness Council’s waste and recycling collections are to be discussed at a meeting of the council’s Cabinet next week.
Cabinet will be asked to consider a series of recommendations to support a new harmonised waste and recycling service for the area when they next meet on 9 September.
A report to Cabinet sets out the following recommendations for the future operation of waste and recycling collections:
- The roll-out of an in-house waste and recycling collection service
- Adoption of alternate weekly residual waste collections using a 240-litre wheeled bin
- Adoption of an alternate weekly recycling kerbside collection service using 2 x 180-litre wheeled bins
- Provision of bespoke service arrangements for residents that cannot adopt wheeled bins
- Agree to harmonising charges for garden waste for the 2026/27 financial year as part of the Council’s annual budget setting process. Any proposed changes to fees and charges would be presented for approval, as part of the budget report, to Full Council.
Currently, Westmorland and Furness Council delivers 7.5 million collections annually to 117,000 households in one of the largest and most rural unitary local authority areas in the country, covering a geographic area of 1,500 square miles.
The Cabinet report explains that the creation of a new unified waste and recycling service is a priority for Westmorland and Furness Council, providing a service that is “cost and carbon efficient, that maximises the recovery and recycling of valuable natural resources, protects the environment and meets the needs and expectations of our residents.”
The report continues: “The harmonised service will support our communities to improve waste reduction, recycling and reuse, thus promoting a circular economy, achieving net zero, protecting our natural environment and supporting financial sustainability.
“We want to make it easier for people to do the right thing, especially against a background of a cost-of-living crisis, to maximise the use of resources and minimise their waste.’’
Recommendations have been drawn up following the results of extensive community engagement and consultation over the past year with almost 3,000 people sharing their experiences of the current collection service at the end of last year, and more than 4,300 residents across the area sharing their views in a recent options consultation over the summer.
Alongside this, the council also ran pilot trials of different collection methods and container types in Ulverston and Penrith, giving residents in the trial areas the opportunity to try out changes and share their experiences.
All the feedback from the engagement, options consultation, pilot trials and independent analysis of cost-effectiveness and environmental impact has been reviewed alongside the outcome of an options appraisal and an Outline Business Case.
Subject to Cabinet approval, the first changes under the harmonisation programme would be expected to begin rolling out in the next few months.
While a new harmonised waste service would bring long-term benefits, these changes wouldn’t take place all at once.
The introduction of new systems, vehicles and collection arrangements would be a complex process that would be rolled out gradually over a period of years.
This phased approach would ensure services are reliable, sustainable and tailored to meet the needs of residents, while allowing time for teams and communities to adapt smoothly to any new arrangements.
Read the full Cabinet report here: Agenda for Cabinet on Tuesday, 9th September, 2025, 10.00 am | Westmorland and Furness Council