Glass collections could be delayed to save money

A council's plan to introduce kerbside glass recycling for residents could be delayed as part of a cost-cutting plan.

Bracknell Forest Council said in the summer that it wanted to roll out the collections in autumn 2026.

But, as part of its budget planning process, it revealed the change could be pushed back to March 2027 to save £380,000. It could also see what it said were expensive bus routes stopped.

The council has said it faces a funding gap of about £10m and must protect key services including social care, bin collections and road maintenance.

The authority said in June it planned to give people living in houses a 140 litre wheelie bin for glass, which would be collected every month.

People living in flats would be given communal 360 litre bins, which would be collected every fortnight.

Previously the council said glass collections would be "costly" but due to government instructions, the council had "no choice" but to implement them.

It has also said it could stop funding bus services - the 299 from Bracknell to Winkfield, 598 from Crowthorne to Camberley and 151 and 151A from Bracknell to Wokingham - to save £248,000.

It said they "cost a lot to run and are poorly used in terms of the number of passengers". It also said some single journeys cost the authority more than £16 each.

Paul Bidwell, the council's cabinet member for economy and regeneration, said "years of underfunding by central government, rising inflation, costs and extra demand for services" meant the changes were necessary.

"The draft budget looks at how we can make savings but also where we can start to do things a bit differently so residents have a wide range of good quality services by the people best placed to provide them," he added.

It will hold four drop-in sessions in Bracknell, Crowthorne and Warfield before its consultation on the budget closes on 27 January.