North Northants pay-for-garden-bins consultation ends this weekend

The consultation ends at midnight on Sunday, April 17
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Residents across north Northamptonshire still have time to have their say on the future of garden bin collections - including whether they should pay extra for them.

North Northamptonshire Council is harmonising the collection service having inherited different approaches from previous authorities after last year's local government shake-up.

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In East Northamptonshire there is a £55 annual subscription charge, paid by users of the year-round service.

Wheelie binsWheelie bins
Wheelie bins

But residents in Corby and Kettering get the service all year at no extra charge and in Wellingborough it operates between March and November with no additional cost for users of the service.

Cllr Graham Lawman, the council’s executive member for highways, travel and assets, said: “Now that we are one council across the North Northants area, we need to ensure there is a consistent service that is fair to all, which is not the case at present.

“It’s important that we ask people for their views on this as it affects the majority of households in our area and certainly everyone who has a garden. This also gives us an opportunity to promote home composting, which we would like to encourage.

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“However we run the service, there is a cost, whether this is direct or indirect, therefore, one of the main questions is whether it is right that funding comes from general funds, i.e everyone’s council tax, or only from users of the service.”

The council will consider the following:

- To determine which months of the year a kerbside collection service would operate

- To establish whether a universal garden waste service would be provided to all residents without an additional charge.

- To establish whether a subscription-based garden waste service would be provided to residents who wish to subscribe to the service and pay a subscription charge.

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- And, if a subscription charge was to be levied, the level of this charge.

You can have your say by completing the online questionnaire at https://northnorthants.citizenspace.com/cet/garden-waste-service.

Comments can also be made by post at: North Northamptonshire Council; Garden Waste Collection Service Consultation; Sheerness House; Meadow Road; Kettering; NN16 8TL

This consultation will run until midnight on Sunday, April 17.

A decision is expected to be made in July and could then be implemented as early as autumn.