Garden waste bill '˜won't rise' promises Boston councillor

Council officials have confirmed there is no proposal to increase the pricing of the annual garden waste collection scheme.
Boston Borough Coun Michael BrookesBoston Borough Coun Michael Brookes
Boston Borough Coun Michael Brookes

Coun Mike Brookes was speaking at a meeting of Boston Borough Council’s Environment Performance Committee on how the first year of the authority’s new collection scheme had gone.

He told councillors: “There is no proposal to increase the pricing.

“We intend to keep the price fixed at £30.”

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The news comes as people in East Lindsey begin to renew their subscriptions at a cost of £40 – up from £25.

Boston Borough Council brought in the charge last year following Government austerity measures which were said to have left a £500,000-plus budget gap in 2016/17.

The service was said to cost £300,000.

Coun Brookes told colleagues on Thursday: “The indications are that we have done well this year and we have covered our costs and any surplus will go towards offsetting costs going forward.”

In a report before the committee, head of operations George Bernard said that 13,500 bins had been collected fortnightly in 2016, down 17 per cent from 16,500 in 2015 before the charge was introduced. However, he said the council had collected 5,000 tonnes of green waste in both years.

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The report suggested customers were being efficient and sharing bins with neighbours in order to seek ‘value for money’.

The report stated that the council ‘has not suffered from increased fly-typping of garden waste or from an increase in residual waste tonnages in the green bin waste stream’.

The council is this year bringing in the ability to pay by direct debit. It is also offering 10 residents the chance to win their collection for free if they sign up that way.

For details visit www.boston.gov.uk/gardenwaste