IMPROVEMENT works to depots could cost two councils an extra £600,000 as plans for a shared site are due to be paused.

Cabinet members in Mid Suffolk and Babergh district councils are scheduled to meet next week to discuss spending an extra £600,000 this year on works to improve depots in Stowmarket, Sudbury and Great Wenham.

The reports to be presented to both councils say all three sites are 'generally sub-optimal' and won't meet all the requirements of the waste and public realm services in the short and long term.

Meanwhile, councillors are being asked to pause plans for a new £12 million depot until more details are available on changes to boundaries as a result of local government reorganisation. The search for available sites did not result in any viable options.

From April 2026, councils will need to deliver extra waste collection, including new weekly food waste, twin-stream recycling, and three-weekly residual waste collections, all requiring a larger fleet.

In February, Mid Suffolk councillors agreed to allocate money for maintenance for the Stowmarket site over two years, while in Babergh the cash for the other two was spread up to 2030, but both authorities are now being asked to make the extra funds available this year to allow for the works.

Improvements to the existing sites, however, are expected to extend their lifetime for at least five more years.

Improvements to the Stowmarket depot, in Creeting Road, will cost an additional £250,000, bringing this year's total bill to £700,000.

Works to this site include reconfiguring the dock level loading bay, refurbishing the cellular office space, a new operational staff welfare and conveniences area, reconfiguring parking spaces, bin stores and external yard spaces.

In Babergh, the works to the Alexandria Road and Wenham Road sites will cost a total of £495,000, an increase of £350,000 this year, but a significant reduction over five years, initially drawn up at £750,000.

The Great Wenham site, the report says, is in a much better condition, due to improvements over recent years, but will still need to have vegetation cut, the storage space reconfigured, and the car park separated.

The Sudbury site, on the other hand, will need improvements to the wash down area, interceptor and drainage systems, increased CCTV and external repairs and decorations, including office and crew areas.

Fuller details are expected by June.

The reports say failing to act now could lead to services being compromised and separated, increased costs, reduced resistance and a decline in quality.

Officers believe the authorities could get at least half of the money required through financial contributions from developers, with bids for Community Infrastructure Levy funds due by the end of May.