Residents in Chelmsford must now pay for their brown bin collections, with locals questioning where their taxpayer money is going following a rise in council tax.
Chelmsford City Council announced that garden waste collection services would be changing this month, with brown bins now only emptied if households pay an annual fee.
SIGN OUR PETITION: CALLING FOR HARSHER PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE THAT TRASH OUR COUNTRY
The local authority said “times are difficult” and that councils across the country are “struggling”, meaning many must begin trimming which services they offer for free.
From March 1, households in the Essex city will continue to only have their garden waste emptied fortnightly if their brown bin has a council-provided sticker on it.
Sign our petition to stop the litter blight across our United Kingdom
Leaflet that was distributed to Chelmsford residents informing them of the changes
GB News
The annual fee for garden waste collections is £60 for the first bin and £30 for the second.
“The new garden waste service will be more financially sustainable and will help essential services to keep going,” the local authority said.
The change in bin collection coincides with a rise in council tax, with the levy increasing by 2.96 per cent in the coming tax year.
Some locals were dismayed to learn of the bin change, branding it “just another tax” they have to pay.
STOP TRASHING BRITAIN:
The annual fee for garden waste collections is £60 for the first bin and £30 for the second
Getty
Do you have a story about litter you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing holly.bishop@gbnews.uk
One resident said: "Just thinking after my council tax bill that we are being taken for a ride.
"I am not paying an extra £60 a year for brown bin collection" they said, while citing all the money the council is gaining from properties, including new builds.
Another said: "It's not the value, it's the principle and a tip run isn't free as it costs in fuel.
"Also the so called garden waste was classed as household waste before the council decided to introduce brown bin recycling and the recycling of all the other segregated waste."
“How long before people start fly tipping their garden waste?”
Another said: “The council sent out a survey recently concerning fly tipping. I'm sure that this new tax will help increase fly tipping.”
They continued: “Additionally, at a time when air quality concerns and pollution are seemingly so important, I'm sure that a policy that encourages waste burning is a fantastic idea.”
“What a load of s*** literally!”, another joked.
The local authority said that 'times are difficult' and that councils across the country are 'struggling'
Google Street View
“Wow,” said another resident. “£60 surcharge to continue having a brown bin the council originally told us we had to use. All because the council is feeling the pressures! Don’t you think your residents are feeling it too!?”
Another local suggested an alternative approach “£60 for a year seems quite reasonable until I realised that I haven’t used my brown bin since the end of October and probably won’t put it out again until March so in reality in our case, it’s £60 for 8 months collections.
“A far better approach would be to charge for the black bin, as this would encourage more people to recycle effectively.
“What with having to book the tip, gone are the days of impromptu gardening.” He added: “It’s the start of a slippery slope!”
Chelmsford City Council said: “Nearly every council in the country now has a paid garden waste service and we’re the last local authority in Essex able to charge to do so.
"Without these charges we could have to make significant cuts, and services we aren’t legally required to provide like brown bin collection, our leisure centres, parks and museum could be affected.
“Like most other councils, our costs are rising faster than our income, and Government support has been falling for more than a decade.
"Our 10 per cent share of residents' council tax pays for less than a quarter of our services and those we have a legal duty to provide, like black bin collection, street cleaning and helping homeless families, cost more than this.”
Sign our petition to stop the litter blight across our United Kingdom
