The Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services is scheduled to consider proposals for garden waste charges for the upcoming financial year. The meeting will also address the confirmation of previous meeting minutes.

Garden Waste Charges for 2027/2028

The meeting is scheduled to consider proposed garden waste charges for the 2027/2028 season. The report outlines that the annual subscription charge needs to be approved as part of the Council's budget-setting process. An early decision is required to allow for planning and resource mobilisation, ensuring a smooth transition for the service. The garden waste subscription scheme typically opens to customers in January, and the proposed charges need to be approved in advance to enable customer communications and renewal information to be issued from December 2026.

The report suggests an increase in charges by applying a 3.2% validation to the garden waste charges for the year. The proposed charges are:

• £62.54 if paid by Direct Debit (DD)
• £56.29 if paid in full, which includes a 10% discount.
• £56.29 for a subsequent service charge (for more than one bin) by direct debit payments.
• £50.66 for a subsequent service charge (for more than one bin) paid in full.

Additionally, there is a proposal to charge £20 for any new garden waste bin requested by customers, which is stated as the unit price and manufacturer cost to the authority. This would mean customers purchase the bin, reducing the service's need to retrieve bins if a customer cancels the service.

Direct Debit payments will be available between February and July 2027, with the availability closing in July as the benefit of spreading payments becomes negligible. A review of garden waste collection arrangements across Wales indicates a range of charges from £35 to £66.50 per bin or household for subscription-based services. Carmarthenshire's proposed charge for 2027 is noted as being towards the upper end of the Welsh range but below charges in Pembrokeshire and Powys. The service is planned to run for ten months of the year, from February to December 2027, with twenty-one fortnightly collections.

The report also notes that the proposed charges represent a 3.2% inflationary increase on the 2026/27 charges and are intended to ensure the ongoing financial sustainability of the discretionary garden waste service. The proposed £20 charge for new bins is intended to recover the Authority's purchase costs and minimise future service liabilities.

To Sign as a Correct Record the Decision Record of the Meeting Held on the 17th March 2026

The meeting is scheduled to consider the decision record from the Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services meeting held on 17 March 2026. This item involves confirming that the record of decisions made at that previous meeting is accurate.