Councillors agree subscription fee for garden waste

The fee was approved at a special meeting of Full Council at Harborough District Council on Thursday 26 November 2015.

During a public consultation, held earlier this year, residents said they wanted the council to keep fortnightly garden waste collections.

The survey also showed high levels of satisfaction with the waste collection service, the frequency of waste collection, cleanliness of streets and maintenance of parks and open space.

Alongside the retention of fortnightly black and blue bin collections, councillors agreed in September 2015 to retain the garden waste bin collections as a fortnightly service but introduce an annual subscription charge to allow it to continue.

Changes in the waste collection service and introduction of charging for garden waste are required to address a funding gap going forward of £1.4million per year from the loss of external funding, and a reduced market price on the sale of recycling materials.

Cllr Phil King, Deputy Leader of the Council, said: “The collection of garden waste is not a statutory service, but is one that is popular with district residents. Against the backdrop of reduced funding and in order to continue to provide this service across the district it is necessary to start charging for the service in the future as many other neighbouring councils already do.”      

Information will be sent to affected households in the new year on how to subscribe to the service. It will also be available on the council’s website.