Colchester Council charging for garden waste due to 'extreme pressure'

The new service will mean residents will have to £55 per year for their garden waste to be collected, plus an extra £35 one-off sign-up fee.

The £90 fee, which works out at about £1.73 per week, has drawn criticism from residents who had previously enjoyed having the fortnightly garden waste collections provided free of charge.

Colchester Council has argued that, with the financial future of the authority at stake, a garden waste collection fee is the only way it can balance the books in the long-term without cutting facilities like Leisure World.

Replaced – the hessian garden waste sacks will be replaced by brown wheelie bins when the new service is rolled out in January (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

Those who receive a kerbside collection will receive a leaflet through to their address this month which will contain information about the new service and steps they need to take if they wish to sign up.

Residents who opt into the scheme before January will benefit from a 14-month subscription running from January 2024 to March 2025, whilst those who opt in after January will have the service provided to them from April 1 until March 31 each year.

The Colchester Council website is the most efficient way of signing up to the service, with members of the public asked to go to www.colchester.gov.uk/GardenWasteSubscription/.

Colchester Council’s portfolio holder for neighbourhoods and waste, Martin Goss said the stark numbers facing the council as a result of the global cost-of-living crisis meant the authority was left with little choice but to enforce the measure, despite its unpopularity.

Widespread – Martin Goss said various local authorities across the UK already charge for garden waste collection (Image: Colchester Council)

He said: “The council is currently facing extreme financial pressure, increasing demand on our services and a £8.2 million rise in costs.

“The council simply can’t afford to run a free garden waste collection service anymore.

“Paying for garden waste collection is not new, and the majority of councils across Essex already have a charged subscription service for collections.”

He continued: “Our budget situation is significant, so it was either charge for garden waste collection, or we don’t collect it at all, or look at closing our sport and leisure facilities across the city.

“With a significant proportion of the city not needing the service, we have agreed on a fairly priced subscription to ensure its sustainability in the long term.”