Proposals to ensure that the opt-in service for garden waste collections continue to be accessible for all are set to be considered by councillors.
North Yorkshire Council plans to stay below the regional average with new charges for next season amid the financial pressure that householders are facing.
The additional income and savings generated would be used to ensure the future of the collection rounds and help to fund the council’s vital frontline services.
North Yorkshire Council is proposing to increase this year’s charge for the garden waste opt-in service of £49 to £52 for next year’s season, which runs from March to November.
The annual charge is below the regional average of £58.94 and the cost increase is estimated to generate about £314,560 of additional income.
Councillors will also be asked to increase the charge for new and replacement rubbish and recycling wheelie bins from this year’s charge of £35 to £37.50 for next year. It is estimated to save about £100,000.
A developer or resident may need to purchase a new bin if the property currently doesn’t have any, if it is missing, lost or stolen, or whether they are a holiday let owner and their property changes from business rates to council tax rated.
If bins are damaged or fail, except in the case of deliberate misuse, they will be repaired or replaced free of charge.
There is no charge for the delivery of boxes or sacks, where they are still used, and charges will not apply as part of any roll-out of new containers to an area or round.
North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director of environment, Karl Battersby, said:
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.
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.
We believe increasing charges by inflation plus £1.50 for garden waste and £1 for new and replacement bins rounded to the nearest 50p is a fair amount, with the additional income vital in protecting our frontline services.
Karl Battersby will consider the proposals with North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Richard Foster, at a meeting on Friday, October 24.
