Annual Charge for Garden Waste Collections

 

West Berkshire Council will introduce an annual charge for its Garden Waste Collection service from Monday 3 September, 2018.

 

The subscription for one bin will cost £50 and residents can subscribe online now at www.westberks.gov.uk/gardenwaste to continue having their garden waste collected from their home every fortnight.

 

For residents who subscribe, collections will continue to be made on the usual recycling days. Subscribers will receive a sticker which must be placed on the green bins to ensure collection.

 

Until now, West Berkshire Council has collected garden waste without residents being asked to pay extra for it.

 

However, with mounting financial pressures, the council cannot afford to keep doing so without asking residents to pay a separate charge. Therefore, West Berkshire must now follow in the footsteps of many other authorities and introduce a charge for the service.

 

Speaking about the new charge, Councillor Hilary Cole, Executive Member for Waste Services said: “Like all local authorities, West Berkshire has been affected by reductions in central government funding which means that increasingly, we need to charge for some non-statutory services such as garden waste collections. We consulted with our residents and it was clear that garden waste collection is valued. Therefore, we are giving resident the choice of paying a £50 fee in order to retain the service.”

 

Over the next few days letters outlining the changes will be sent to properties eligible for the garden waste collection service. Further information is also available at www.westberks.gov.uk/gardenwaste.

 

The last garden waste collection for residents who choose not to subscribe to the service will be either w/c 20 August or w/c 27 August according to the usual collection schedule.

 

Residents who do not subscribe are encouraged to continue to make use of their green bin to recycle their food waste. More information on how can be found online at www.westberks.gov.uk/foodwaste

 

Residents who subscribe should allow up to 14 days for stickers to arrive.

 

Residents can sign-up to the service online and are able to subscribe on behalf of family, friends and neighbours as well as themselves.

 

Garden waste can continue to be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centres in Padworth and Newbury free of charge.