Changes have been made to bin collections across Sutton in a bid to make savings as part of a cross-borough contract.

Some residents will experience a day change in their collections – Monday instead of Saturday – while for others it will be a week’s difference.

This will also see Saturday kerbside collections moved to Monday, and half of them will be switched to cross-borough rounds with neighbouring Croydon.

Affected residents will receive a postcard and letter detailing the new plans, a collection calendar, and leaflet on how to use the service.

This predominantly applies to people living in east Sutton, as well as areas close to Banstead and Morden – specifically Beddington, Carshalton, St Helier, the Wrythe, and Wallington.

Full details are yet to be released by Sutton Council, though the decision was made by director of environment, housing and regeneration Mary Morrissey on August 20.

Some people have received information from the authority already.

In a summary of the decision, it reads: “In order to achieve the year two savings, identified within lot one of the South London Waste Partnership [SLWP] contract, day changes are required to 14 percent – or 12,488 – of properties in the borough.

“Implementing changes to waste collections can often lead to missed collections, increased resident dissatisfaction, and increased contact with customer services and councillors.

“These changes will achieve identified savings, improve service resilience, and make the service more environmentally sustainable.”

A project group, which meets at least fortnightly, has been set up that includes staff from neighbourhood services, waste disposal, and customer services.

Some risks have been outlined following the move, as the planned changes could see an increase in missed collections when they go live.

Days between collections might be longer than usual, and possibly up to three weeks in some cases.

But additional collections will be made by Veolia where it’s not taken in 14 days or more – with the waste contractor eating the cost.

In addition, as some rounds are transferred to Croydon, there could be a “loss of knowledge” among crews collecting rubbish in Sutton.

However, the report stresses that work through the SWLP and attendance at board meetings will try to reduce these risks and crews in the borough will be shadowed and supervised.

The SWLP, formed in 2003, comprises four councils – Croydon, Kingston, Merton, and Sutton – which work together in delivering waste management services.

You can read more about the decision in the report here.