Local Council of Amersham now charging for garden waste disposal

mojito

Tenyearstogo wrote: »

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My local council only do the lawns and hedges during the summer months. Surely it's better to pay contractors for those months than employ people all year. You have to factor in holiday/sick/maternity/paternity pay and pension into that.

I do hear what you are saying but you might be surprised that a piece the size of a 5 a side pitch to be cut 2 times a month is 3600 pounds plus vat. Consider the proportions a local council would need.
Also the jobs workmen can do can change I don't accept it's better to farm it out not considering the volume.
It just needs to be managed. Oh the penny has just dropped for me, maybe it's lazyness and with the surplus cash we are forced to supply its just easier for them.

browneyedbazzi

Tenyearstogo wrote: »

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My local council only do the lawns and hedges during the summer months. Surely it's better to pay contractors for those months than employ people all year. You have to factor in holiday/sick/maternity/paternity pay and pension into that.

Exactly, using contractors or outsourcing some work is often much more cost-effective because it gives you a lot more flexibility and fewer 'on-costs' that are associated with employing full time staff. Councils should be operating in the most cost-effective way they can - and that isn't always what looks cheapest to people who don't understand how things work. Before spouting off about how things are done it is probably best to try to learn/understand why things are done in the way they are.

mac666_2

I find this weird we have whats known as our green recycle bins. In these we put garden waste, food waste and thin cardboard.

These are picked up fortnightly and then are used to make compost for the areas flower beds. I think it was a great idea and a useful way to make use of this type of waste for something to benefit us.

paddyrg

In bath you buy official paper sacks which include the removal fee - pay as you go, seems a pretty obvious solution to me. Encourages composting, too!

mr_sharma

Dogger69 wrote: »

Mine has done this for years.

I don't see the problem - you could take it to the tip if you'd rather not pay.

Do you work for the Council? Sounds like a perfect PR soundbite for them!

coshboy

mojito wrote: »

Whats next ? the rubbish - we are heading there folks.

Where does my council tax go ? They want 35 quid per year to collect the waste. If this isnt annoying enough when I see the local council employing contractors to look after lawns and hedges its a bit much. You cant tell me this is a temporary cheaper alternative. They are simply cash rich in a time when no one else is but seem to be unregulated.

The council in question is Amersham - disgusted with the British rip off again.

:mad:

Also regarding contractors cutting grass and hedges, round my way they are always at it, even if, in my opinion, they don't need to be cut. They scalp the bushes and cut them far too often and too low. :mad:

DKLS

oh great I can see my local muppet council following suit, its the ONLY council service I actually appreciate.

chicken_licken_3

We pay £36 a year if we want garden waste collected. Otherwise it us a trip to the tip to dispose of it.
I was ok with it until the council announced plans to use the garden waste to make compost which they intend to sell to the public!

billn

I have read these posts with interest and perhaps those who are facing a new charge would be interested to hear what happened in North Tyneside.
Our mayor decided to introduce a £20 charge for garden waste collection previously collected free of a separate charge.
The response was that only a handful of residents agreed to pay, others said they would not take part in the scheme and were to return the bins to the council. Some even said they would fly tip the garden waste.
Result the council had a rethink, and decided to drop the idea of a charge, those that had paid were refunded.
People power seems to have won the day!The downside to the story is it is estimated that the whole exercise cost in the region of £25K for the council in advertising the scheme collecting and refunding money.
Will they ever learn?

Our council did the same, what most posters on here seem to forget is that councils get a subsidy for taking garden waste as it's classed as recycling. I think most people said they would just put green waste in the normal bin and the council would be worse of because of landfill tax.

deanos

our council have just started to charge, its £25 a year, they have been selling it on to make compost since it started several years ago.

Im just going to stick it all in the black bin from now on, i think only 1/3 have taken it up,