Issue - meetings

The Committee heard from the Corporate Governance Officer and the Operational Services Manager, presenting the results from the Garden Waste Consultation and the proposed business plan for 2025/26. It was explained that in December 2017, the Prosperous Communities Committee had resolved to introduce a subscription-based garden waste collection service. This service had grown year on year, and in July 2024, the Committee had agreed to undertake a consultation to discover the views of the service from residents. This consultation took place between mid-July and early September, with the full results provided to the Committee in appendix one of the report.

It was summarised that 7352 residents had taken part in the consultation, with 555 of those being non-subscribers to the service. The main reason for non-subscription was highlighted as the cost. For those who did subscribe, 77% believed the service was value for money, 92% were satisfied with the service they received, 66% wanted to continue with 18 collections, and 72% were happy with the current payment method.

Members were advised that several options to amend the service had been put forward for consideration, however, based on the outcome of the consultation, and maintaining the approach of ‘cost-recovery’, it was recommended that the service be continued with the existing number of collections (that being 18), and a cost increase of £2 per bin to £46, to be bale to achieve full cost recovery for the service. It was explained that Officers were also looking at several different options for promoting home composting that could be advertised via the website, to support those who may wish to take up home composting as an alternative or alongside the garden waste service.

Members of the Committee expressed their thanks for the work undertaken and praised those who had been involved with the consultation process. Given the thoroughness of the work, it was felt that the right outcome had been recommended. Therefore, it was proposed that option two, the same number of collections with a price increase related to cost recovery, be the preferred option.

With further praise to those involved, and having been seconded, and voted upon, it was unanimously

            RESOLVED that

a)    the consultation results had been reviewed in line with the garden waste business plan for 2025/26; and

b)    the preferred option of 18 collections at a cost of £46 per bin be RECOMMENDED to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee for approval.