Purpose

This report sets out proposals
for member consideration in respect of charges for Garden Waste
Collections. These amended charges will apply in the current
financial year to achieve the income levels anticipated within the
approved Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and rebalance the
cost of collections within the waste service.
 
Garden waste subscriptions were
launched in 2017 at a cost of £36 per bin for 23 collections
from the kerbside each year. The price of collections has been held
since its introduction, but increasing
cost pressures in delivering this service require us to review this
fee. This paper brings forward a revised set of fees* to ensure the
chargeable waste service is self-sustaining going
forward.
 
It is worth noting that if a
CPI link had been established it increased by 24% (RPI by 41%)
since 2017, if the price for Garden waste subscriptions had kept
pace it would be £45 (or £51) now.
 
*the
fees proposed in this report are applicable to Lichfield district
subscribers – Tamworth have yet to determine if they wish to
increase their fee or continue to charge the current levels with
review of income split to cover the deficit.

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling,
Ecology and Climate Change approved the recommended increase in the
Garden Waste collection charges, effective for the collection year
2024, due to launch in October 2023. This includes the £40
fee via direct debit and £42 fee via other payment
methods.
 
The Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling,
Ecology and Climate Change in consultation with the Assistant
Director Operations Regulation and Enforcement will review the
charge for Garden Waste on an annual basis and adjust the fee
accordingly in line with CPI (the immediate preceding September for the forthcoming
subscription year) and the corporate charging policy, subject to
consultation with the Joint Waste Board.