HOUSEHOLDS are being urged to sign up for Pembrokeshire County Council’s free notification service as the countdown to Christmas begins

The message comes after it was revealed almost 50,000 homes will be affected by changes planned for this year’s Christmas waste collections.

Households and businesses serviced by Pembrokeshire County Council’s waste collections scheduled for Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays will be affected as the new arrangements take place.

Monday collections remain unchanged.

With no waste or recycling collections scheduled for Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day, collections will be pushed back for two days in Christmas week and one day the following week, resulting in some collections taking place on Saturdays and Sundays.

‘Notify’ sends an E-mail or SMS text message to service users the day before their next collection is due telling them what bins to put out on the kerbside.

Over 4,000 text messages have already been sent out to registered users.

Cabinet member for environment and Welsh Language, Cllr Cris Tomos said: “With around 80 per cent of us having waste collections on days we are not used to over the Christmas period, this service helps householders avoid confusion.

“With no waste collections scheduled for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day we are collecting a day or two later than normal.

“Rescheduling collections in this way results in an increase of just one or two days between collections whereas the previous system could result in longer periods between collections for some.

“The new method means we will collect two days later than normal following Christmas and Boxing Day and one day later than normal following New Year’s Day.”

For more information and to sign up for weekly waste reminders visit www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/notify