Residents in the Selby area are being invited to share their views on forthcoming changes to the garden waste collection service.
In a move to ensure fairness for all households across the county, the new North Yorkshire Council, which from 1 April will replace the county’s existing eight county, borough and district councils, is harmonising the garden waste collection service, so everyone has the choice to receive the same service funded in the same way.
Currently, there are seven different garden waste collection services in the county, one for each district or borough. Charges have varied and in Selby the service has been free.
In January, our executive members agreed to harmonise the annual subscription fee for garden waste collection at £43.50 for 2023/24 for districts that currently make a charge, which is all of those in the county except Selby. In Richmondshire the fee will be pro rata as the garden waste bins there are much smaller. The average fee across the Yorkshire and Humber region is £44 a year. Garden waste is a discretionary service, not one that councils are legally required to provide.
Selby area residents are now being invited to complete a survey to help the council to understand what the level of demand for the garden waste collection service will be in the area under harmonised subscription.
There will be no change to the existing garden waste collection service in the Selby area until this consultation process is complete. Executive members of the new North Yorkshire Council are expected to consider their decision in late spring.
The survey, which can be found online, asks householders how they currently dispose of their garden waste, whether they would continue to use the collection service were a fee introduced and, if not, how they would dispose of garden waste.
Councillor Derek Bastiman, whose executive portfolio includes the management of waste disposal, said: “The garden waste collection service has real benefits, including the environmental benefits of recycling garden waste and the convenience of not having to take your own garden waste to a recycling centre.
“We are committed to providing this service for residents who want it. It is a service people choose to opt into and we need to be clear that it has to pay for itself. It is important that everyone in the county who wants to receive the service can do so fairly.”
Based on a harmonised fee of £43.50, the service could generate an additional £500,000, depending on the number of subscribers. This will be used to offset the cost of delivery.
Selby area householders are invited to complete the survey by Monday, 3 April. Alternatively, copies are available at Selby library, Sherburn villages and community library, and Tadcaster community library. Residents can request a copy to be posted to them by calling 01609 780780 or emailing gardenwasteconsultation@northyorks.gov.uk