Issue - items at meetings - Green Waste Charges

Report of the Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment

RESOLVED THAT

1. An increase in the garden waste collection charge from £42/year to £45/year per bin be approved

2. The prompt payment discount be retained at £3 per bin for households renewing their subscription ahead of their annual renewal date;

3. The spring offer discount be retained at £3 per bin for new

customers who subscribe to the garden waste collection

service during the period 1st February 2019 to 31st May 2019

4. appropriate consultation be undertaken with regard to:

· An increase in the garden waste collection charge from £42/year to £45/year per bin;

· The prompt payment discount being retained at £3 per bin for households renewing their subscription ahead of their annual renewal date;

· The spring offer discount being retained at £3 per bin for new customers who subscribe to the garden waste collection

service during the period 1st February 2019 to 31st May 2019;

· reducing the number of garden waste collections over the Christmas/New Year period by 2 collections each year commencing 23 December 2019

5. Authority be delegated to the Managing Director – Place and Growth, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Clean and Green Environment, to decide whether or not to implement the above mentioned proposals after careful consideration of representations made and to take any steps as necessary to implement the decision.

The Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment introduced the report and informed that since the introduction of the Garden Waste Collection Service in 2011 the charge had increased on only three occasions. Through the consultation on the service redesign it was viewed as a well regarded service and had an excellent customer retention rate with current subscription rates of 17,498. He reported that the costs of provision of the service, such as diesel and the living wage, had increased however and in order to meet these additional costs it was proposed to increase the charge from £42-£45. The prompt payment discount would however be retained at £3 reduction. He also informed that it was proposed to suspend the service during the Christmas and New Year break as from Christmas 2019 so 2 collections in total would be dropped. The decision had been taken that it was preferable to advise customers in advance during the time of year when there was limited garden waste collected. Other authorities were also considering reducing the number of collections and he added that the CBC charge in comparison to them remained competitive.