Thousands of households across Stockport will see their blue bin collections double in frequency from the start of December 2026. The council will collect paper and cardboard recycling every two weeks instead of every four weeks, with the change introduced before Christmas.
Why the collection schedule is changing
The move reverses the four-weekly schedule adopted in 2025 when the council faced financial pressures on its budget for day-to-day services. Stockport council’s Liberal Democrat administration said it has responded to complaints received in recent weeks over how it collects bins across the borough.
While understood not to be directly linked to the recent controversy over open bin lids, the latest move comes after weeks of criticism of the local authority. Recent enforcement of a long-standing policy on collecting bins with open lids left hundreds of people with uncollected bins. One resident called the situation ‘woke’, another said it was ‘petty’, and a councillor claimed some areas were being ‘picked on’.
Council apologises and pledges to listen
More recently, the council was accused of flipflopping after a ‘bizarre’ incident was recorded on a doorbell camera, which the local authority later said was a mistake. Dave Bresnahan said: "It seems like they have gone from one extreme to another."
Stockport council has acknowledged it failed to tell people what was happening in advance and apologised. The Liberal Democrat administration said the announcement of more collections was part of their commitment ‘to delivering reliable local services, boosting recycling and responding directly to residents’ concerns’.
Councillor Jake Austin, the cabinet member overseeing bin services, said feedback had been ‘loud and clear’ that people ‘want a service that makes it easier to recycle’, adding he was ‘delighted’ to announce the move. He said: “Our data shows that collecting blue bins every fortnight can have the most immediate impact on the service for residents across Stockport. It will take a short time to rearrange rounds and so we will introduce this new, more frequent collection service from the start of December, before Christmas sees households generate more paper and card recycling than at any other time of the year.”
No immediate changes to collections
Stockport Council leader Coun Mark Roberts said: "We’re very proud of the work our bin collection crews do, whilst they have to walk many miles in steel toe-capped boots, working in the summer heat or the rain, sleet and snow. They have played an integral part in Stockport having one of the best recycling rates in the country, and being the very best in the North West."
“When the manufacturer changes to the health and safety instructions were applied, we heard loud and clear how our residents felt. It is critical people know the Liberal Democrats will listen to the feedback given and strive to make a positive difference wherever we can.”
Despite the announcement, there will be no changes to collections in the meantime. People should continue to follow their current collection arrangements until further notice.
