Green waste could cost £49 in South Hams

Up from 'free'

South Hams council bosses say residents should pay for their garden waste to be collected and are hoping councillors will agree. 

The move follows a decision by South Hams District Council (SHDC) to take back control of bin collections after the private firm employed to run them (called FCC) agreed, in July, to end its contract.

It means brown bins would be collected on last collection day in October but residents would be charged about £49 per year for the service when it restarts next spring. 

The council blames rising costs and a continued driver shortage across the country for the decision but insists it is doing all it can to ensure the core waste and recycling service remains as smooth as possible when it comes back in-house on Monday 3 October.

South Hams executive member for the environment, and Lib Dem councillor for Newton and Yealmpton, Keith Baldry, said:  “We know that the potential removal of the unpaid garden waste collections will be disappointing news to many of our residents, particularly given the cost of living crisis that the country finds itself in. 

“However, to enable us to keep delivering and improving the core waste and recycling services, it is clear that charging for garden waste collections has now become a necessity.

“Due to inflation and rising costs, the reality is that we will have to start charging for the service.”

Waste services in the district were outsourced to FCC Environment in April 2019 but have faced problems ever since, including missed collections and complaints that vehicles were too large for some areas.   

But the estimated £3 million cost of taking back full control of bin collections has been criticised by some councillors who argued they never should have been outsourced in the first place. 

A final decision will be made by the full council on Thursday [22 September].