Local authority to charge for waste collection

East Renfrewshire Council yesterday confirmed details of an annual charge for garden waste collection to offset cuts to other essential services.

The new scheme, which was first announced in late 2020, is set to begin on Monday, July 5 and will help protect other important frontline council services, such as keeping household waste recycling centres open, street cleaning and day-to-day services including street crossing patrollers.

East Renfrewshire has led the way with waste collection and recycling in Scotland since 2016, and while councils have a statutory duty to collect household waste, including food waste, this does not include garden waste.

The council chose to provide this free of charge to residents, however, with it now facing a budget shortfall, savings need to be identified.

It is an opt-in permit system whereby residents who wish to have their garden waste collected will pay an annual charge for a weekly collection, excluding a fortnight at Christmas, and for 2021/22 this charge is £40.

Residents not requiring their garden waste to be collected would still be able to use their brown bin for food waste.

The permit will also include collection of Christmas trees.

The majority of local authorities in Scotland are currently either charging for garden waste collections, considering implementing a charge or not collecting this waste at all.

East Renfrewshire Council’s environment director Andy Cahill said: “The council faced a significant budget shortfall for this year and savings had to be identified.

“This is an opt-in system and the charge amounts to less than £1-a-week for a service which will be offered for 50 weeks of the year.

“Our priority is to protect frontline services for our residents and income generated from this scheme will help meet some of the budget shortfall.”

Residents who want to purchase a permit should do so as soon as they can, so they are registered ahead of the start date.

To buy a permit or find out more about the scheme, visit www.eastrenfrewshire. gov.uk/garden-waste

All residents will receive a letter detailing information on the scheme in the coming days.