The charge for garden waste collections in the Burnham-On-Sea area is set to increase from the start of April, it has been announced.
The roadside garden waste collection service for wheeled bins will rise to £63.50 per year from the current £57.20 charge.
The alternative service of ten 90-litre paper sacks of garden waste will be charged at £31.40 per year, up from the current £28.30.
The hike in costs comes after two years of the charge being frozen for residents in 2022 and 2021. However, rising costs for operating the service mean the new charges have been necessary, says a council spokesperson.
A council spokesperson adds: “Having your garden waste collected can save time and fuel and can prevent mess in your car. Every bit of the garden waste collected is turned into Revive soil conditioner.”
“Whilst it is a service that councils have to provide, it is a discretionary decision whether or not to recover the costs. Other councils across the country may have decided to subsidise or not charge for this service, hence the differential in costs across the country for the ‘same’ service.”
“Somerset took the view that although this service is a valuable one for many people, it is important to recognise that there are people who don’t have gardens or don’t want to use this service. It would seem unfair that those residents who do not use the service should be expected to help subsidise it through their council tax contributions.”
From 1st April, the new unitary Somerset Council will replace the county council and four district councils and it will also take on responsibility for waste services. The collections contractor will stay the same (SUEZ), as will the contractor running recycling sites (Biffa).
A new single phone number, 0300 123 2224, replaces district contact numbers and will be taking calls about waste services from the start of April.
For existing customers, the council says annual renewal notices will be sent in the month before subscriptions are due to expire. Subscribers can renew at somersetwaste.gov.uk/garden-waste-collections/
