Green waste collections could be charged for or scrapped as North East Lincolnshire looks to cut spending

THE possibility of charging for garden waste collections or stopping them altogether is to be put to residents as North East Lincolnshire Council looks to further slash its spending.

Plans to ask people in North East Lincolnshire about the future of household green waste collections are to be considered by the council's cabinet team next week.

Members will meet on Wednesday to consider a report that recommends a four-week public consultation about the collection of garden waste.

North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) currently provides free kerbside garden waste collections at a cost of £1.3 million per year – this figure includes collection and disposal of the waste.

Collections are made from about 78 per cent of homes in the borough (56,000) but are not carried out over the winter months.

Garden waste collections didn't start in North East Lincolnshire until 1998 and it's a discretionary service the council chooses to provide.

More than a third of English councils now charge for household garden waste collections at rates ranging from £25 to £75 per year.

The council is dealing with government-imposed cuts of about £76 million and can no longer afford to subsidise the service.

If members agree to starting the consultation, people will be asked whether or not they are willing to pay to have their garden waste collected or if they think the service should stop. Charging for the service or stopping it altogether could save the council an estimated half a million pounds per year.

More details about the proposals and the public consultation will be made available once the decision has been made to go ahead with it.

Councillor David Watson, portfolio holder for Environment and Housing at North East Lincolnshire Council, said the council would listen to the wishes of residents before any further decisions were made about garden waste collections.

He added: "We know people value the green waste collection service, but in the face of government imposed cuts of £76 million it's a service we can no longer afford to subsidise.

"We've made huge savings by sharing more services with other organisations and moving our workforce into fewer buildings, but we need to look at everything we do to make sure we balance the books in the future."

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