North Yorkshire Council is looking to move forward with plans to increase the annual charge for its opt-in garden waste collection service, proposing a rise from £49 to £52 for the next season.
The council asserts that these proposals are necessary to ensure the future accessibility and continuation of the service.
The proposed increase applies to the opt-in service which runs from March to November. According to North Yorkshire Council, the proposed £52 annual charge remains below the regional average of £58.94. The council states that it plans to stay below this regional average, acknowledging the financial pressure currently facing householders.
The proposed cost increase for garden waste collections is estimated to generate approximately £314,560 of additional income. This new income, alongside other savings generated, would be utilized to secure the future of the collection rounds and contribute to the funding of the council’s vital frontline services.
Karl Battersby, North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director of environment, provided the justification for the rise. He stated:
“The increases are needed so that we can continue to provide a valuable service to residents without compromising on standards, while keeping costs down as much as we can”.
Mr. Battersby explained that the council approached the proposed rise carefully to maintain demand for the service. He said:
“We have thought carefully about how much we should increase these charges by. We want to be fair to the customer and, if they are set too high, it could affect demand”.
The proposed calculation for the rise in the garden waste charge is based on inflation plus £1.50, rounded to the nearest 50p, which Mr. Battersby described as a “fair amount”. He further emphasized that the “additional income [is] vital in protecting our frontline services”.
The proposals aiming to keep the opt-in service accessible for all are set to be considered by councillors.
In addition to the garden waste charge, councillors will also be asked to approve an increase in the charge for new and replacement rubbish and recycling wheelie bins. The cost for these new containers is proposed to rise from this year’s charge of £35 to £37.50 for next year. This secondary increase is estimated to save the council approximately £100,000.
A resident or developer may need to purchase a new bin if the property lacks any currently, if the existing bin is missing, lost, or stolen, or if the property is a holiday let changing from being rated for business rates to council tax. However, bins that are damaged or fail, excluding cases of deliberate misuse, will be repaired or replaced by the council free of charge. Furthermore, there is no charge for the delivery of boxes or sacks where they are still in use, nor will charges apply during any council-led roll-out of new containers to a collection area.
The decision on these proposals is scheduled to take place at a meeting on Friday, October 24, where Karl Battersby will consider them alongside North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Richard Foster.
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