WASTE collections for residents in the West Somerset and Wellington areas will take place as usual on Monday, May 1, even though it is a Bank Holiday.

A special arrangement was agreed with the Somerset Waste Partnership because of the upcoming coronation.

It will be the first time Somerset crews have collected waste on a Bank Holiday, in a move to accommodate the extra holiday day over the weekend of King Charles III’s coronation, May 6 to 8.

The additional Bank Holiday on May 8 meant Somerset Council and its waste collection contractor SUEZ faced coping with two consecutive Bank Holiday weekends.

Recycling and refuse usually collected on Mondays will still be picked up on May 1, and collections for the rest of the week will be on their usual scheduled days.

Because of the Bank Holiday Monday working, the crews will have a day off on Saturday, May 6.

There will not be any waste collections on May 8 and instead they will be one day later for the rest of that week, including the Friday, May 12, pick ups taking place on Saturday, May 13.

Council environment portfolio holder Cllr Sarah Dyke said: “The extra Bank Holiday is great news for everyone wanting to celebrate the coronation celebrations and we want to be fair to the hard-working crews.

“But a Bank Holiday Monday collection is a change from the norm, so please make sure you are up to speed on when the crews will be arriving.”

Cllr Dyke also encouraged revellers to celebrate without creating unnecessary waste.

She said: “We are committed to a greener, more sustainable Somerset and would ask everyone attending or hosting a coronation celebration to do their best to recycle everything they can, but better still avoid creating the waste in the first place.

“Recycling is great, but reducing and reusing is even better, and there are lots of ways you can enjoy the big day while keeping waste down.”