Cabinet members on Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council have agreed to introduce a fortnightly garden waste subscription service at a meeting on Tuesday 5 December.
Unlike household waste and recycling, there's no legal requirement to collect garden waste so councils can charge for collections. Rather than remove the service, the council has agreed to keep the service for those residents that need and value it.
The optional service, which will come into effect in April 2024, will cost £40.00 for one garden waste bin to be collected fortnightly between April and November.
Cllr Adam Brook, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, explained:
“The majority of local authorities, locally and nationally, have made the decision to introduce chargeable garden waste collections amidst rising budget pressures.
“We are a responsible council, and it is imperative that we make savings to balance the finances. So, we have agreed to introduce an annual fee of £40 to help us plug that gap and pay for the increasing costs associated with dealing with waste. By introducing a chargeable garden waste service, we can ensure that the service remains sustainable.
“Introducing a subscription fee also means that the service will only be paid for by those households that choose to use it. This is similar to bulky waste collections where only households requesting the service have to pay.
“We are exploring payment options to spread the cost of the charge as well as reinvestment into council street scene services.
“Residents also have the option of a compost bin, for a nominal fee, if they choose not to subscribe.”
Further updates on more detailed plans for the scheme and how to sign up will be released soon.