The cost of a garden waste permit in East Renfrewshire is set to rise from £40 to £60 as the council looks to raise money to help plug a £19m budget gap.
Council officials have said the above inflation increase would cover the cost of delivering the service and generate a “small amount” of extra income.
They are also planning to roll out a new one-off charge of £60 for an additional bin. A second bin would require another £60 per year permit.
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Cabinet members will be asked to back the changes when they meet on Thursday. They are set to agree to the rise ahead of the council’s 2023/24 budget meeting in March to allow the plans to progress.
If approved, a mail drop to residents is scheduled for the weeks commencing January 30 and February 6. It is hoped early agreement on the increase will give residents “sufficient time to purchase a permit in advance of the scheme renewing on April 1, 2023”.
The sale of garden waste scheme permits would begin next week [January 30].
A council report added: “Due to above inflation rises in processing costs, gate fees and the rise in fuel costs, it is proposed that a garden waste permit is increased from £40 to £60 per annum. This is above the current inflation of 12.3%.
“The proposed increase, should sufficient participants continue with the scheme, is expected to generate revenue that will support full cost recovery of the garden waste scheme and also generate a small amount of additional income.”
Lifting the charge for a garden waste permit was included as part of a range of options shared with the public during budget consultation.
East Renfrewshire’s settlement from the Scottish Government will be “close to the expected flat cash position” and there “remains a substantial budget challenge”, officials have reported. The council is facing a shortfall of around £19m for 2023/24.
Officials have reported early feedback from the budget consultation shows that “refuse collection was a key concern for respondents” when looking at savings in the environment department.
They said 48 people suggested the council should “consider increasing charges and/or altering the collection cycle”.
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