Overview

• Councillors declined calls to halt Phase 1 and referred the issue to cabinet on 5 September, with outcomes due back to full council on 15 September.
• Targeted measures include crews collecting food caddies from inside property boundaries during pannage, extra crew time, and direct guidance to affected households.
• The official verderer welcomed the approach, with trials in Brockenhurst and East Boldre aimed at reducing livestock interactions with containers.
• Council figures report more than 31,000 homes on the new system and over 500 tonnes of food waste recycled, with call waiting times reduced from about 40 to 14 minutes.
• Opposition councillors sought an independent review citing missed collections and animal incursions, while officers put the cost of a pause at £1.1–£1.2m and Conservatives flagged risks to a £2.3m DEFRA grant and the April 2026 deadline.