No increase on cost of garden waste removal

Posted by The Journal on Feb 5, 10 09:48 AM in Councils

Families in Northumberland have been spared a 25% increase in the cost of having their garden waste collected this year following a revolt by opposition county councillors.

It was planned to put up the annual charge for the service from ÃÂ£20 to ÃÂ£25 in March - to bring in an extra ÃÂ£60,000 and help the county council achieve tough budget savings.

Now the saving will have to be found elsewhere after Conservative and Labour councillors joined forces to defeat the move at a meeting in County Hall on Wednesday.

Almost 16,000 households currently pay for the service, which involves the collection of their grass cuttings and other garden waste in special bins.

The numbers fell from 25,500 when the council introduced the ÃÂ£20 county-wide charge last April, ending what had previously been a free collection service in the Tynedale and Blyth Valley areas.

Yesterday Conservative group leader Peter Jackson said it was felt there should be a period of stability after so many households quit the service because of the cost.

"We feel that agreeing a 25% charging hike this year will just upset this service once again," he said.

Labour group leader Grant Davey said: "Putting another ÃÂ£5 on the charge for this service would simply drive more people away.''

But Haltwhistle resident Kevin Little said: "These councillors want to be popular rather than effective. Everyone knows there is not enough money around to deliver the core services.''

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