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| From an ongoing poll taken from Houghton Regis News and Conversation Group 25-02-2024 |
Looking to balance the books, the Independent-run Council at Central Bedfordshire Council announced this week that it will bring in an opt-in scheme for residents to have their green bin waste collected. At the time of writing, this is something that council officers are ironing out.
Cllr John Baker explains the budget issues (8 minutes)
In a press release reiterated on Independent Cllr Pat Hamill's page, the Council stated that, “Residents were given a choice of potential savings including reducing bus subsidies and charging for garden waste. The strongest support from the public was for charging for garden waste and this was agreed at Thursday’s meeting on the 22nd Feb.”
Independent Cllr Adam Zerny, Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council said: “I want to thank everyone who took the time to give us their thoughts on the various options. Residents’ views were vital in putting this budget together. This budget has always been about protecting key services. The changes to garden waste and Council Tax mean we can keep all our other services running such as libraries, leisure centres and children’s centres, as well as adult social care and services for children and families. ”
Independent Cllr John Gurney said, “Central Beds Council (CBC) has a £39million gap between its income (Council Tax) and expenditure (all the services it provides). Conservatives were so irresponsible, they didn’t even increase Council Tax last year, which meant due to inflation running at 10% from 12 months ago, the Council has been haemorrhaging £millions more each month than we would have expected. Charging for garden waste is in line with many other councils. It’s not a decision we took lightly, but is unavoidable whilst we repair Central Beds Council’s finances.” Read the full statement here.
Alan Winter, a former resident, wrote in the Conversation group, “CBC needs to recognise that it's not just garden waste that goes in people's green bins. People also use them to put in leaves, a lot of these leaves, especially around Parkside, come from trees which are owned by the council and the public have to collect these leaves up before they become a squishy, slippery mess and before they clog up the drains.
“It's an injury that people have to manage the falling leaves for themselves in addition to managing the pulling out of seedlings from their gardens which have fallen there from the CBC trees, but it's an insult added to that injury to ask them to pay a fee for the council to take them away as well.
“I dealt with leaves at the rear, and leaves at the front of my house for over 10 years in Houghton Regis. Regularly in the autumn, the green bin would be full after pressing it down several times and then I would have to wait for a few weeks for that to be emptied before I could start filling it up again. Meanwhile, I used to stuff them in bushes and in The Hyde just to keep the driveway and roadway drains clear. It was no use waiting for Council employed gardeners to come along and clean the area up in a few months time because by then the leaves would have turned to mulch and have become slippery, muddy and dangerous to walk on.
“So, I think CBC really should be micromanaging this policy. Identify Street by Street (Postcode?) which ones have the problem of leaves from council trees and waive the collection charge there. That might be a good starting point. Start with Westminster Gardens, Hammersmith Gardens, Bromley Gardens.
“If there is community spirit then perhaps there could be 'leaf collection patrollers' with equipment (rakes, leaf grabbers, bins) being supplied by CBC specifically to help collect leaves. It should prove to be therapeutic and fun, too, to be involved in something like that. But don't charge them for the privilege.”
- Cllr Baker has said he is happy to talk with any individual in more detail about the decision to introduce a charge for taking Green bin waste. Feel free to contact him at: john.baker@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
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