Question from Councillor Nichols to the Executive member for Neighbourhood Services:
“At the beginning of March, I received my Council Tax Demand Notice and in with it was another piece of paper, headed Garden Waste Collection Service. Upon reading that document I was extremely shocked and amazed to see on page 2 a STEALTH INCREASE in charges, under the heading “What is the cost?”, the words “£24 per brown garden waste bin”.
1 Where was it stated in any of the documents issued to Councillors at the Budget Meeting of the Council, that the cost of a second Brown Bin would be going up to £24, or that the cost would be £24.00 per bin, and how can you justify a 60% rise in the cost of a second bin, from £15 to £24, when there are no additional transport costs or personnel costs, as the vehicle and men are already there collecting the first bin? The £24.00 charge equates to a 16.86% increase in the Borough Council’s Council Tax, so for both bins this equates to a 33.72% increase
2 Have you any figures to show the number of times in a year that the second bin is collected?
3 In view of the above comments, will this Council now review the additional charge for the second Brown Bin and bring it back to a more affordable and representative cost and could a report be brought to the next available Scrutiny Commission with :-
a) The number of single Brown Garden Waste Bins issued to householders up to 1st March 2016, since the original scheme began.
b) The number of second Brown Bins issued in the same period.
c) The number of single Brown Bins issued under the new charging scheme.
d) The number of second Brown Bins issued under the new charging scheme.
e) The expected cost of collecting the Brown Bins not paid for.
f) The expected cost of storage, if any.
g) The expected cost of disposal.”
Response from the Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services:
“May I thank Cllr Nichols for his questions,
1. I would refer him to Page 8 of the Scale of Fees and Charges 2016-17 agreed by Council on 18 February 2016 which details £24 per bin as a new charge. The costs of servicing additional bins either from the same or adjacent premises is not significantly different and is still very good value as demonstrated by the 20,881 households already signed up (6.4.16) for over 21,800 bins, including 913 households who have signed up for more than one bin. One has even signed up for 7. Where other authorities have reduced charges for a second bin, the initial charge is often higher for example Rushcliffe BC at £30 along with higher district council tax charges than with this Council. Many also charge the same for additional bins e.g. Harborough £40 for fewer collections per year.
2. No details are collected relating to second bin emptying as it will depend on whether residents choose to present the second bin and varies wildly throughout the year due to seasons and weather.
3. This Council has recently set the fees and charges for this year and sees no need to revise them for this year. The fees and charges for next year will be reviewed and presented to Council in February 2017. I understand Scrutiny has already included in their timetable a report on waste and I am sure officers would be happy to report on the success of the scheme which as of 6 April has 43% of the borough’s households signed up to continue receiving the valued service.”
Minutes:
Question from Councillor Nichols to the Executive member for Neighbourhood Services:
“At the beginning of March, I received my Council Tax Demand Notice and in with it was another piece of paper, headed Garden Waste Collection Service. Upon reading that document I was extremely shocked and amazed to see on page 2 a STEALTH INCREASE in charges, under the heading “What is the cost?”, the words “£24 per brown garden waste bin”.
1 Where was it stated in any of the documents issued to Councillors at the Budget Meeting of the Council, that the cost of a second Brown Bin would be going up to £24, or that the cost would be £24.00 per bin, and how can you justify a 60% rise in the cost of a second bin, from £15 to £24, when there are no additional transport costs or personnel costs, as the vehicle and men are already there collecting the first bin? The £24.00 charge equates to a 16.86% increase in the Borough Council’s Council Tax, so for both bins this equates to a 33.72% increase
2 Have you any figures to show the number of times in a year that the second bin is collected?
3 In view of the above comments, will this Council now review the additional charge for the second Brown Bin and bring it back to a more affordable and representative cost and could a report be brought to the next available Scrutiny Commission with :-
a) The number of single Brown Garden Waste Bins issued to householders up to 1st March 2016, since the original scheme began.
b) The number of second Brown Bins issued in the same period.
c) The number of single Brown Bins issued under the new charging scheme.
d) The number of second Brown Bins issued under the new charging scheme.
e) The expected cost of collecting the Brown Bins not paid for.
f) The expected cost of storage, if any.
g) The expected cost of disposal.”
Response from the Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services:
“May I thank Cllr Nichols for his questions,
1. I would refer him to Page 8 of the Scale of Fees and Charges 2016-17 agreed by Council on 18 February 2016 which details £24 per bin as a new charge. The costs of servicing additional bins either from the same or adjacent premises is not significantly different and is still very good value as demonstrated by the 20,881 households already signed up (6.4.16) for over 21,800 bins, including 913 households who have signed up for more than one bin. One has even signed up for 7. Where other authorities have reduced charges for a second bin, the initial charge is often higher for example Rushcliffe BC at £30 along with higher district council tax charges than with this Council. Many also charge the same for additional bins e.g. Harborough £40 for fewer collections per year.
2. No details are collected relating to second bin emptying as it will depend on whether residents choose to present the second bin and varies wildly throughout the year due to seasons and weather.
3. This Council has recently set the fees and charges for this year and sees no need to revise them for this year. The fees and charges for next year will be reviewed and presented to Council in February 2017. I understand Scrutiny has already included in their timetable a report on waste and I am sure officers would be happy to report on the success of the scheme which as of 6 April has 43% of the borough’s households signed up to continue receiving the valued service.”
As a supplementary question, Cllr Nichols asked how the cost for emptying a second bin was justified, bearing in mind that the crews were already at that location. In response, the Executive member reminded Council that the charge was as agreed by Council on 18 February. Councillor Nichols stated that he would seek a further written response via the Chief Executive.