Introduction of Charge for Uplift of Household Garden Waste (Burgundy Bin)
| Title | Introduction of Charge for Uplift of Household Garden Waste (Burgundy Bin) |
|---|---|
| Council Resource | Community and Enterprise |
| Service Area | Facilities, Waste and Grounds Services |
| Aims and Objectives | In 2015, the Council introduced a burgundy bin to collect food waste to comply with the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012. These regulations placed a statutory obligation on Local Authorities within Scotland to provide householders with a separate food waste collection service. The legal obligation only applied to urban areas; however, the Council made the decision to provide the service in rural areas in circumstances where it was deemed technically, environmentally and economically practical to do so. Although there is no statutory requirement to provide residents with a garden waste collection service, the Council allowed residents who had been provided with a burgundy bin to deposit un-bagged, compostable garden waste free of charge Approximately 110,000 households have been provided with a burgundy bin to present commingled food and garden waste. Residents in flatted properties (with no gardens) have communal ‘food only’ burgundy bins. Around 5,000 rural properties, mainly in Clydesdale, don't currently have a bin for the collection of food or garden waste. All South Lanarkshire Council residents, including those in rural areas, can request a garden waste uplift for un-bagged compostable waste. The cost of this service is currently £40 for up to 10 items. As Councils across the county look for ways to reduce budgetary pressures, charges for garden waste collections have become increasingly common. There are currently 16 Councils in Scotland who operate a chargeable garden waste permit scheme. Permits, costing between £35 and £60 and averaging at £44.57 are issued to residents on an annual basis. It is proposed that a similar garden waste permit scheme is introduced in South Lanarkshire to recover some of the costs associated with providing the service. The charge would be £45 per bin per year. Residents who do not wish to pay the £45 charge can still use HWRCs free of charge or dispose of excess waste in non-recyclable waste bin. |
| Conclusion | The policy to introduce charges for garden waste collections will affect all residents in South Lanarkshire who have access to a garden and wish to dispose of compostable waste from the garden in a burgundy bin. Elected members, Trade Unions, Heads of Service, the Corporate Management Team, the Employee Network, South Lanarkshire Disability Partnership/Access Panel, Seniors Together in South Lanarkshire, the Youth Council, Lanarkshire Ethnic Minority Action Group, the South Lanarkshire Citizen's Panel, the Tenant's Participation Forum, Community Partners and Community Councils were all involved in consultation on the proposed Budget Strategy. As part of the consultation, comments were invited on the proposals for charging. In addition, online consultations were available on the Council's website, including a full online questionnaire - publicised through social media. The consultation was two phased; phase one asked for initial views amongst the public and service users and phase two which followed up on the initial consultation, asked for views of specific savings options. The question asked was : 'Do you agree the council has to look at all options to balance its income and spending, including considering increasing charges or changing services?' There is no evidence to suggest that the introduction of charges will have a negative impact on any equality group; however, we will monitor the implementation and roll out and provide a further update if required. It is recommended that the proposal be considered and that a charge is introduced for the uplift of burgundy bins containing garden waste in South Lanarkshire. it is proposed that the annual charge is £45 per year. No charge would apply for the collection of burgundy bins that contain food waste only. Residents who do not wish to pay the £45 charge can continue to use the Council's network of Household Waste Recycling Centres free of charge. Alternatively, garden waste can be disposed of in non-recyclable waste bins. The introduction of the charge will generate an income that will offset some of the collection costs associated with the service. It is not anticipated that any equality group will be impacted more than any other service user by introducing a permit for garden waste; however, the service will monitor comments, complaint and feedback to ensure any unexpected consequences are mitigated. Financial reports will also be monitored to ensure income is in line with estimates. This will be monitored and reported on as part of ongoing financial monitoring and reporting procedures. Any significant changes to income generation will be picked up as part of this process and reported in financial reports. In addition, information from complaints and comments will be monitored following the introduction of the scheme. |
| Completion date | 27 June 2024 |
| Contact Email address | equalities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk |
| Area | Council Wide |