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Garden waste collections

Published: 14/12/2017

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve the charging policy for the garden waste when it meets on 19 December. Flintshire’s recycling performance is one of the best in Wales but the service is not fully in line with Welsh Government’s blueprint for waste which recommends that Local Authorities charge residents for the provision of the garden waste collection service (which is not a statutory service) and that this funding is then used to support the overall recycling service. Given the financial pressures on the Council from both increased community needs and the reduction in Welsh Government grant funding, it is now necessary to introduce a charge for the garden waste service in Flintshire. Such a charge has already been introduced by a number of Councils across Wales and England. The new chargeable service will continue to be provided from 1 March to 30 November, as this is when the demand for the service is at its highest and most residents do not require the service over the winter period. For those residents who do not wish to participate in the new service, garden waste can still be taken to one of the strategically placed Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) across the County free of charge Flintshire continues to offer an extensive HRC provision, following the review of service in 2016. Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Transportation, Councillor Carolyn Thomas, said: “Whilst this has not been an easy decision to make, given the continued regime of austerity by the UK Government it is one of the easier ones as there are tough times ahead. Residents will be officially told about the charge during January with a reminder sent within the Council Tax information in March 2018 and will have until 1 April to register for the new service. Once payment has been received, stickers will be sent out so that crews can recognise which properties require the service. The service will be provided free of charge to all residents during March 2018.” The reduction in staff numbers will be accommodated from current vacancies within the service and there will be no redundancies as a result of the proposals.