DESPITE a storm of protest from local residents Warrington Borough Council’s executive board has confirmed the council will be introducing a £30 charge for the removal of green waste from March next year.
Explaining the controversial decision, Cllr Judith Guthrie, executive board member for environment, said: “Green waste collection is not a statutory service and we will be introducing a small annual charge. This won’t affect black or blue bin collections and nobody is obliged to take up the offer.
“The green waste collections were introduced 10 years ago and the economic conditions for all local authorities are completely different now than they were then. Nearly half of the councils in the country charge for green waste collection so this is certainly not something that is unique to Warrington.
“The charge will be £10 less than the average charge for England and £60 less than the highest charge.
“We have been faced with brutal cuts from central government and have managed to maintain one of the lowest council tax rates in the north west. If we don’t find ways to save money and generate revenue we won’t be able to provide services that are not only essential but that we are legally obliged to provide.”
Residents will be able to pay for green bin collections from January 2017 when the council’s new payments system will be in place.
The charge will be £30 (£33 if paid at Contact Warrington) and will amount to £1.50 per week for the nine months the service operates and less than 60p per week over the course of the year.
The council has drawn up a list of Frequently Asked Questions RE Garden Waste – 2017
Why are you charging for these collections?
We have a reduced budget from central government and we can no longer subsidise the cost of collecting this additional waste. The decision to charge for garden waste collections is one of the many difficult decisions the Council has faced to help reduce costs.
There is no legal requirement for the Council to provide a kerbside collection service for garden waste. But where it does we can make a charge. The income from charging for garden waste collections will make the service self-financing. Many Councils across the country charge for this service and have done for many years.
Not all properties in Warrington require a garden waste collections service as they may not have a garden. For this reason it is also felt that introducing a charge is fair as the service will only be paid for by those households that choose to use it, in the same way that charges are only made for bulky waste collections to those households that request one.
How much will the service cost and how can I subscribe?
The cost of the service is £33 per bin per year or £30 per bin per year if purchased online by visiting warrington.gov.uk/gardenwaste from January 2017.
When does the charge start?
The new service will start on the 7th March 2017 and only households that have subscribed for the service will have their green bin (s) emptied after this date. Residents should allow at least 5 working days for an identification sticker to be posted out to you to identify your green bin to our collection crews that you have paid for the service. The charge will cover you from the 7th March 2017 until the 23rd February 2018. Please note the garden waste service is a seasonal service and collections will not be provided in December, January & February.
I will only need to put a green bin out occasionally. Can I pay for a part year of collections?
No. If you join part through the year or only need a collection a few times a year the charge will still remain at £33 (£30 if paid online). We offer no reduced rates except for online payments.
Do I need to renew my payment every year?
Yes. You will need to renew your payment every year. You will be able to do this through our web site each year in January.
Will my collection day or collection time change for any green bins that I pay for?
Initially your collection day will remain the same and you should present your green bin for collection as you do now. However the time of your collection may change. Please have your bin out for 6.30am on your scheduled day of collection.
Can I have more green bins?
You can have as many green bins as you like for domestic garden waste. You will be charged a £33 (£30 if paid online) subscription per bin/ per year. To order more green bins and pay your subscription please visit our website: warrington.gov.uk/greenwaste from January 2017.
If I have a green bin at the moment but do not want to pay the subscription, what do I do with the bin?
If you choose to not subscribe to the service any green bin(s) will not be emptied after 7th March 2017. Any green bin should remain at your property. You can keep the green bin and use it for storage in your garden. Some residents in the past have used old bins as water butts.
If I don’t want to sign up and pay, how can I dispose of any garden waste?
We encourage you to either home compost your extra garden waste or take it to one of our Community Recycling Centres. For more information on the sites and home composting please visit: warrington.gov.uk/greenwaste
Garden waste should not be placed in the black and blue bins in Warrington for disposal. We will not take any side waste and all bin lids should be closed.
How will your collection staff know if I have subscribed to the new service?
Collection vehicles will have an electronic record of which residents have subscribed. You will also be sent an identification sticker through the post each year when you have paid that should be applied to your bin as soon as possible to ensure collection.
Where do I stick the identification sticker to show that I have paid?
Attach the identification sticker under the handles at the back of the bin. This allows quick checking of stickers by the collection crew and ensures the stickers are not damaged by the lifting equipment. The collection crews will not collect any garden waste bins that do not display a sticker.
What happens if I move house?
If you move house during the period of your subscription you can transfer this subscription to your new address if this is in Warrington. Please complete the online form to advise us that you have moved house so that we can update our records at: warrington.gov.uk/greenwaste. Please do not take your green bin with you to your new property. Refunds cannot be provided if you move out of the Warrington area or if the service is not offered to your new property. Furthermore a refund is not available if you move to a new property and require fewer bins than you have subscribed for at your previous address.
Can I get a refund if I decide to cancel my subscription?
You have the right to cancel your subscription and obtain a full refund within 14 days of the day of purchase. There will be no refunds after the 14 day cooling off period has expired.
Do I get a refund if the Council fail to empty my green bin?
No. Genuine missed collections are rare. If your bin has not been emptied it may be because it contains the wrong items or is too heavy. If this is the case your bin will be stickered and left. All bins should be out for collection by 6.30am on your collection day. We reserve the right to cancel collections due to circumstances beyond our control e.g. severe weather. If your missed collection is our fault then we will return to collect your bin as soon as possible. Missed collections can be reported by completing the online form warrington.gov.uk/greenwaste
What can I put in my green bin for composting?
We can accept grass cuttings, hedge clippings, twigs and small branches, weeds, plants, dead flowers, leaves and bark. We cannot take any food waste, soil, stone, ash, pet bedding, card, or general waste. For more information visit our web site.
Can I apply for an extra black bin (Red Top) to dispose of my extra garden waste?
We do not provide additional black bins for garden waste. Garden waste should not be placed in black bins for disposal. Residents should subscribe to the kerbside garden waste service or take the extra garden waste to a Community Recycling Centre. Home composting is also a good way to dispose of garden waste. For information on reduced price compost bins visit our web site.
Are there any concessions for elderly or infirm residents or those on benefits?
The scheme is a self-funding service and given the current financial constraints of the Council we are unable to provide concessions.
Can I share a garden waste bin with my neighbour?
Yes, if one bin provides sufficient capacity to meet the needs of you and your neighbour. The charge applies per bin so if you wish to share then one of you will need to pay the charge and then you can split the cost and usage between you.
Will assisted collections still be available for the new green bin service?
Yes. If you subscribe to the new service and you already have an assisted collection this will continue. If you would like an assisted collection please apply as normal.
What if I subscribe and my green bin or subscription sticker is stolen?
Please check with your neighbours to make sure they have not taken the bin by mistake. If not then report it to the Council as soon as possible so we can investigate.
Is this new charge not going to discourage people from recycling?
The Council hopes that residents will understand the financial pressure it faces and the reasons for introducing this new scheme. It is hoped that the new subscription service, the free of charge Community Recycling Centres and home composting will provide sufficient alternatives for those who wish to recycle.
Do you expect to see more fly-tipping of garden waste?
There is no evidence to suggest that we will see any increase in fly-tipping. We have spoken to other Councils that have introduced similar schemes and they have seen no increase. We will monitor this issue closely and any reports of fly-tipping will be passed to our Environmental Enforcement Team.
What happens if I currently pay someone to cut my grass or attend to my garden?
If the garden waste materials are placed into your green wheeled bin, then you would still need to subscribe to the kerbside collection service for the Council to empty it. Alternatively, you can ask your gardener or the person who carries out the work for you to take the garden waste away and dispose of it responsibly – but they may charge you to do so. If you pay your gardener they cannot take the waste to one of our Community Recycling Centres as the waste will be classed as trade waste when they remove it from your property.
Remember, householders are required by law to check that anyone removing waste from their property is authorised to do so. Householders who do not take reasonable measures to check that operators are legitimate waste carriers could be liable to a fine.
Can I put garden waste in my black bin?
No. Garden waste should never be placed in your black bin. Black bins found to contain garden waste will not be emptied.
3 Comments
So basically we’ve got no choice as the black bin won’t be collected if we put the garden waste in there.
Difficult decisions to cut costs, I bet they didn’t consider cutting their wages. Or how about selling off Network Warrington and letting a big company take over.
No it’s easier to pick on us.
Mmm so they will NOT be collecting any disposing of any green bins that resident no longer want then??
I quote from the above news story..
“…If you choose to not subscribe to the service any green bin(s) will not be emptied after 7th March 2017. Any green bin should remain at your property. You can keep the green bin and use it for storage in your garden. Some residents in the past have used old bins as water butts.”
Bad move by the council as from the many comments made over the past months on here and various social media sites it is apparent that a lot of people will NOT be taking up the offer of paying for their green bins to be emptied.
With that in mind I can’t help but wonder just how many green bins will simply be abandoned in backs/service roads or dumped elsewhere by residents who don’t want to keep them on their property or use then for storage/water butts.
It’s bad enough around here as it is with people leaving all their bins out 24/7, maybe that will change though when people are paying for the green service as they wont be too keen on others using their green bins too 😉
If ‘unwanted’ greens are just dumped and left out when they aren’t subscribed other people will just dump all sorts of crap in them including excess black bin waste. filled dog poop bags etc etc and there it will all stay for eternity, rotting, stinking and attracting flies and vermin.
Surely as the green bins belong to the council they should pick them up and take them away and recycle them if they are asked to by those who wont be using the paid for service…
I suppose we could all just put them in our cars and take them to the local tips or for those who live close enough just walk them there….would they accept them though I wonder 😉
Shall I will try with some of the ones around here that people say they wont be keeping ? 😉
My son has 3 large trees next to his garden which belong to WBC. He fills his green bin with all the leaves, broken branches, acorns and helicopters which drop on his garden. He has very little garden waste of his own. Is he now obliged to pay for the council to take away the garden waste which their trees create on his garden?