THE council has sold 6,448 bins as part of its new garden waste service.

Last summer civic chiefs introduced the plastic bins to replace green bags, making the waste easier and safer to move.

At first the idea was met with mixed reaction, with some residents against the idea of paying for the bins.

But, when giving an update at a full council meeting, Cllr Martin Tod said he was "very encouraged by the response" from residents.

He continued: "Up to and including January 12, we have sold 6,448 bins. This represents about 12 per cent of households as some have bought more than one bin for their property.

"In the full week up to and including the 12th January we sold 1,040 bins – the highest level so far since mid-November, even though the scheme isn’t due to start until February 1 and the need for the service will increase as we move out of winter.

"The rate continues to accelerate with over 200 bins sold on Monday – and has consistently gone up every week since mid-November, with the exception of the Christmas week, although we even sold 8 bins on Christmas day.

"Of the bins ordered, we have now delivered 4,907, up to and including January 12, and these bins can be used ahead of the new service starting."

In a letter to the Chronicle earlier this month, Peter Rees, member of Winchester Constituency Labour Party, said the council have an "immense lack of hard information" as to why the bins are necessary.

At the meeting, Cllr Tod said that officers are working to inform residents.

"We are working hard to ensure all residents are aware of the new arrangements for collection of garden waste in advance of the new service starting in February 2021 and are prompting this again in our next Parish Connect and on our resident email,” he said.