West Suffolk district councillors argue about changes to recycling collections in Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Haverhill

Changes to recycling bin collections in West Suffolk have led to a row between Labour and Conservative councillors.

The row came as West Suffolk Council voted against a Conservative amendment, during an extraordinary meeting, to proposals which aim to improve recycling in the district.

There will be a dry recycling collection service from April 2026, with plastic film to be incorporated the next year.

Cllr Beccy Hopfensperger, Conservative group leader on West Suffolk District Council, said her group felt belittled, after the meeting yesterday.

The Conservative group’s amendments, which were not voted through, called for a reinforced commitment to communicate with, educate and support elderly and disabled residents and those living in town centre properties with limited bin space.

On X, Cllr Hopfensperger said the Conservatives had been accused of scaremongering, creating culture wars and talking nonsense by Labour.

Cllr Cliff Waterman, Labour leader of the district council, which covers Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill and Newmarket, said: “I am really unhappy about the way the Conservatives conducted themselves last night.

“Their behaviour was not acceptable in a council meeting.”

Cllr Waterman said the recycling changes were ‘really good news’ and some of the Conservative group had been rude to the chair and monitoring officer.

He said he felt he had expressed himself ‘very clearly and emphatically’.

The bin changes are in addition to a new weekly food waste collection, which is to be introduced across the whole of Suffolk, in the spring of 2026.

Household waste bins will be collected each fortnight.

The changes will mean households will have an extra recycling bin and food waste caddy.

Residents who may have difficulty with extra bins, will receive help from the council to establish a workable solution.

“West Suffolk Council used to have a good recycling rate, which declined under the Conservatives,” said Cllr Waterman.

Conservative councillors also wanted reassurance that any changes to the two weekly collection frequency would be presented to full council for consideration and a vote, prior to any change.

Cllr Sarah Stamp, who was at yesterday’s meeting, said she did not understand why the amendment was voted down and accused Labour of ‘putting politics before people’.

She said: “Nobody is against more recycling, it is the right thing to do.

“However some residents are confused about the recycling changes and where they will put their bins.”

In a post on social media site X, Cllr Stamp said: “Never in 13 years as a councillor have I ever felt so uninformed or disengaged from decision making.

“It feels like a struggle to make my residents’ views heard.”

A total of 24 councillors voted for the amendment and 33 voted against.

When it came to the main proposal 34 voted for, 19 voted against and four councillors abstained.

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