Householders in the Shropshire Council area are being asked for their views on proposals to introduce a charge for the collection of garden waste – and about proposals for the future operation of the council’s five Household Recycling Centres (HRCs).
A six-week consultation runs from Tuesday 9 April to Monday 20 May 2024.
Shropshire Council is proposing to introduce an annual subscription fee of £52 – the equivalent of £1 a week – to collect garden waste from properties in the Shropshire Council area.
The consultation asks people if they would be willing to pay more than £52 a year if the additional money was used to keep all five HRCs open, and for views on whether the opening times of some recycling centres could be reduced.
The consultation also asks for people’s thoughts about a new permit/booking system for people visiting a recycling centre, to help ensure that they are only used by people from Shropshire.
The proposals are being made as Shropshire Council must make £62m of savings in 2024/25 to keep a balanced budget.
Charging for garden waste collections, and closing two of the council’s five Household Recycling Centres, are among proposals approved by councillors as part of Shropshire Council’s budget cuts for 2024/25.
While garden waste collections in Shropshire are currently free, 80% of English councils already charge for this service, and many have been doing so for several years. The average annual fee across the country is £55 a year.
To take part in the consultation and find out more go to www.shropshire.gov.uk/gardenwastebudget2024.
