Colchester residents have the opportunity to opt-in to a new garden waste subscription service set to commence on January 15, 2024.
To continue receiving a fortnightly garden waste collection in the upcoming year, residents will need to subscribe to this new service. The cost involves a one-off £35 joining fee and an annual fee of £55 per wheeled bin subscription, amounting to slightly over £1 per week.
The standard subscription year will run from April 1 to March 31 each year. However, for those who opt-in before January, the service will run from January 15, 2024, until March 31, 2025. This includes 25 fortnightly collections of garden waste each year, with a brief pause for two weeks during Christmas.
In a compassionate effort to support residents facing financial challenges due to the rising cost of living, the Council has established a £50,000 assistance fund for those who choose to opt-in to the garden waste collection service. This financial support will be accessible to residents who are currently recipients of the means-tested Local Council Tax Support scheme. They will benefit from a waived joining fee of £35, alleviating financial burdens.
Subscribers to the service will be issued a permit sticker for their brown bin, signifying that they have paid. Residents who do not currently possess a wheeled bin will receive a brown bin with an attached permit.
The quickest and most convenient method to opt-in is online, requiring a credit or debit card and property details. For those unable to complete the process online, assistance from family members or friends is recommended. If online access is unavailable, residents can contact Colchester City Council directly.
Residents currently receiving garden waste kerbside collection will receive an informative leaflet in November 2023 detailing the new garden waste service and the necessary steps to continue receiving fortnightly collections starting in January.
For more information about the garden waste subscription service, frequently asked questions, and the opt-in process, please visit www.colchester.gov.uk/gardenwaste.
Cllr Martin Goss, Colchester City Council Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods and Waste, explained, “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. Our budget situation is significant, so it was either charge for garden waste collection or we don’t collect it at all or would have to 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.”
“If you’re not generating much garden waste and you don’t want to join the scheme, there is the option of joining with a neighbour, composting at home or dropping it off at your local recycling centre.”
For those who choose not to subscribe to the service, they have the alternative of composting garden waste at home or delivering it to their nearest Essex County Council Recycling Centre. Residents can also purchase discounted compost bins through Love Essex and participate in a free online composting course. Learn more at www.loveessex.org/composting.
