Lawn-mowing row over tax on grass cuttings in brown bins

● Council no longer maintains area – and charges for cuttings uplifts

Angry tenants are going “on strike” in a lawn-mowing protest against a bin tax.

They have been told it is now their job to cut the grass on council-owned land outside their homes in North Muirton, Perth. But they will need a £25 brown bin permit to dispose of the cuttings.

Perth and Kinross Council used to cut the grass fortnightly but axed the service and handed the responsibility over to householders.

Residents say the introduction of the new bin charge, due to come into effect on 1 April, means they will be penalised for doing the local authority’s work.

North Muirton tenant Adrian Owen, 54, said he would not pay, adding: “People here are furious at this decision.” He added: “I, like many other council tenants here, cut the area of grass at the property to make sure it’s maintained.

“We had to cut the grass as the council stopped doing so around four years ago.

“The area is roughly a 20sqm section which every tenant has here.

“However, it now seems that if we cut the grass we will have the privilege of paying £25 to the local authority for the use of the brown bin to dispose of grass cuttings – it is absolutely scandalous.

“Scores of people in North Muirton are furious at this decision. It’s just cost-cutting to subsidise the council.

“Lots of people have told me they won’t cut the grass – they will just leave it to become a health hazard.”

A spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council said: “Council officers have been in touch with North Muirton community council and discussions are ongoing. The open space at the front of properties in North Muirton was previously maintained on a fortnightly basis by the council.

“However, the cut grass was not uplifted but left in place to break down and fertilise the growing grass underneath.”

He added: “The maintenance of front gardens is now undertaken by tenants and owners in North Muirton, with the way in which the maintenance is undertaken left to their discretion.

“In the current economic climate, councils must make difficult financial decisions.”

The spokesman said the decision on the garden waste charge had been agreed in February 2017.

“Not all householders in Perth and Kinross have access to the garden and food waste uplift service, due to the costs associated with operating the service over such a large geographical area,” he added.

“The chargeable garden waste service will only be available to households that currently receive a brown bin service.”