Wiltshire Council describes garden waste bin increase as 'modest'
Fees are rising by 10% for those renewing their annual membership
A 10% rise in fees for garden waste bin collections in Wiltshire has been described as 'modest' by the Council.
The authority initially said the increase was due to 'current inflation levels and some recovery of operational costs'.
They've now given us more details about the reason for the rise in fees.
Cllr Nick Holder, Cabinet Member for Waste, said:
“We made the difficult, but necessary, decision to add a modest £6 increase to the green waste collection service in 2023/24 when the budget was agreed in February.
"This reflects inflationary increases that apply to our waste contracts and in the delivery of this service. No waste disposal or treatment costs are recovered through this charge.
"We don’t increase fees lightly but we feel the cost of the service still provides value for money for our residents who sign-up to use it. For those who choose not to use this optional service, people can still take their grass and other garden waste to our household recycling centres free of charge, and as per our Business Plan we remain committed to continuing to provide a range of opportunities for people to recycle as much as they can.”
Last year the fees went up by £10 across the year as well.
Garden waste bins are emptied fortnightly except for two weeks over Christmas and New Year.
In the year to March 2023, just under 27,000 tonnes of garden waste from over 84,000 households in Wiltshire.