Chesterfield council introduces new garden waste collection charges in fight to balance its budget

The Labour-led local authority announced its latest plans at a Joint Cabinet, Employment and General Committee meeting on Monday, February 5, after it has highlighted how, like many other councils, it has been struggling with high inflation rates, the cost of living crisis, rising costs, uncertainty with Government funding and the impact of Covid-19.

Cllr Martin Stone, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Planning and Environment, said he regretted having to announce the proposed introduction of charges for the roadside collection of garden waste after it had previously operated as a free discretionary service.

He said: “I know only too well how paid services affect those on low income at a time when many of our community are being buffeted by the economic climate and it gives me no pleasure to add to that storm.”

The Joint Cabinet, Employment and General Committee approved the introduction of a £40 annual fee for residents who want to subscribe to the garden waste collection service from the beginning of the 2024-25 financial year on April 1 which equates to a weekly cost of 77p.

However, the council is offering a £30 annual subscription for the first year for any ‘early bird’ subscribers who sign up before May 1 which equates to a weekly cost of 58 pence for the service.

The committee also approved the allocation of up to £40,000 to enable the council to make adjustments to waste management staffing to support the changes.

Cllr Stone explained the total cost of providing the service with Veolia in 2023-24 was about £672,000 and it is hoped the new charging system will provide £377,000 of income for the council.

Based on a 2021 Defra Consultation approximately 65per cent of local authorities in England who provide a garden waste collection service charge for the service.

Cllr Stone said: “It’s still at a subsidised fee and we are still covering a lot of the costs at the council and the cost out there is not a huge amount.

“And experience across the country says the numbers using it will grow over time.”

Opposition Liberal Democrat Cllr Paul Holmes said compared with the share of council tax to be paid to the borough the new garden waste charge is ‘a pretty hefty figure’ and it actually hits low income family households more than it does more affluent ones.

Following the meeting, he added: “The £40 green bin charge is designed to take an extra half a million pounds from residents – even though they already pay council tax to have their bins emptied.

“It is also a regressive charge, hitting those on lower incomes the hardest.

“A band C household paid £164 Council Tax to Chesterfield Borough Council this year so an extra £40 Green Bin charge is equivalent to a 25per cent increase.

“Band A households paid £134 so an extra £40 is equivalent to a 30per cent increase.

“Many will not pay and will look for other methods to dispose of their garden waste.

“Recycling, which has already fallen for four years in a row in Chesterfield, will fall further as more waste goes into the black bin.”