Ashford to get new garden waste collection
A new garden waste collection service, costing residents
£30 a year, is set to be introduced in a bid to further improve
Ashford’s poor recycling record.
Ashford Borough Council’s cabinet approved proposals for service
to be introduced alongside the new Biffa waste recycling service
which starts in April.
It follows the authority being labelled the UK’s worst recyclers
for the third year in a row in October last year.
Portfolio holder Cllr Jessamy Blanford (Con) said: “There has
been a call for a new garden waste collection service.
“The proposed charge of £30 is comparable with the lowest scheme
in Kent. No council in Kent runs a free scheme. It works out at
around 50p per week.”
The old service was scrapped in 2008 but since then residents
have been allowed to put out two black sacks of garden waste each
week, for free, alongside their normal household waste.
The free collection had a negative impact on the waste disposal
costs for Ashford and Kent County Councils. Officers expected the
new subscription service will pay for itself by generating £75,000
each year.
Deputy leader Cllr Gerry Clarkson said: “This is a direct
response to quite a number of members and residents who said the
council would need to introduce this at some time as part of our
new recycling programme.
“It’s not really going to generate any income because it has to
be paid for.
“The cost that we are charging is at no burden to the ratepayer.
I’m extremely in on it because my wife spends her life going to the
tip.”
Residents can register to the service from February 1 and will
receive free collections in April and May before being charged in
June. The service charge will rise to £35 per year in two years’
time.
18/01/13
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