Garden waste charge up 43% in four years

WOKINGHAM Borough Council’s garden waste collection service charge has rocketed.

Four years ago borough residents paid £60 for their garden waste to be collected for composting.

Last year, the cost was £80.

This spring, households are paying £86 for the service – a rise of 43% since 2020.

And at 7.5% more than last year, this year’s price increase is above the current rate of inflation.

Cllr Ian Shenton, executive member for environment, sport and leisure at Wokingham Borough Council defended the increase.

“We understand that our residents face rising living costs on many fronts, so we don’t want to increase costs for any of our own services unless it’s absolutely necessary,” he said.

“However, unlike household rubbish and recycling collections, including our food waste collections, garden waste collections aren’t a statutory service that we’re required to provide.

“The increased cost for this optional service reflects the increasing costs that we have to pay in providing it, including transport costs.

“It’s also a reflection of the inflationary pressures on our budgets more generally, and the difficult financial choices that all local councils subsequently face in providing services with increasingly limited funding.”

On the increased fee, he said: “The revised cost for the garden waste collections still represents good value and we would still encourage people to use this service, which remains a convenient, environmentally responsible way to dispose of their garden waste.”

The garden waste collection is an opt-in fortnightly service, where households are provided with a 240-litre brown wheeled bin.

The service starts on April 1 each year, with residents displaying a coloured sticker on their bin as proof of payment.

Bins for new customers and stickers for renewals are currently being distributed in the borough.