Call for Rotherham Council to waive next year’s garden waste fees after summer delays
It follows widespread frustration among subscribers to the brown bin service, which was suspended in early August due to staff shortages
Opposition councillors have called on Rotherham Council’s administration to waive the fee for garden waste collection next year, after months of disruption to the service.
The motion, due to be discussed at the full council meeting on November 5, has been tabled by Conservative councillors Simon Ball and Joshua Bacon.
It follows widespread frustration among subscribers to the brown bin service, which was suspended in early August due to staff shortages and remained disrupted well beyond the planned end-of-August restart date.
According to the motion, residents were left unable to dispose of their garden waste “through the service they have paid for,” forcing many to make alternative and often costly arrangements.
The council’s offer of a £10 refund or discount on next year’s subscription has been criticised as “inadequate and insulting”, with councillors arguing it fails to reflect “the true costs incurred by residents” or the scale of the disruption.
The standard annual Rotherham garden waste subscription fee is £49 for the first bin and £40 for a second bin, meaning many households have paid considerably more than the amount being offered back.
The motion adds that the suspension “disproportionately affected vulnerable groups,” including disabled residents who rely on the brown bin service for accessible waste disposal.
Cllr Ball’s motion says public confidence in the waste service has been “severely eroded” and calls for a stronger response to restore trust.
If approved, the motion would see the council waive the 2026 subscription fee, issue a public apology and comission an independent review of the service.
The motion states that continuing to charge full fees during lengthy suspensions “undermines the principles of accountability and value for money” expected from local government.
Leader of the council, Councillor Chris Read, has previously said that the authority had experienced ‘specific challenges’ around recruiting HGV drivers, and has since worked to resume normal service.
The motion will be discussed at the full council meeting at Rotherham Town Hall on Wednesday, November 5.