Garden waste fee across North Northamptonshire being introduced

Subscription charges are being brought in for garden waste collection across a whole council area to eliminate "unfairness", an authority has said.

North Northamptonshire Council said an annual fee of £40 would be introduced for all residents from 1 April.

Homes in the former East Northamptonshire council area had been paying £55 a year while there had been no charge in other districts.

The decision was made following a public consultation.

However, in that consultation 78.9% of people who responded said kerbside garden waste collection should be paid for through wider taxation rather than through a subscription charge.

North Northamptonshire Council replaced East Northamptonshire, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough councils in 2021.

Conservative Graham Lawman, executive member for highways, travel and assets, said the Tory-run authority had "considerable correspondence" about the difference in fees.

Mr Lawman said the council "inherited a situation where there were differing garden waste collection schemes in place for each former borough and district and in them there was some unfairness".

He said the charge for East Northamptonshire but not the other areas "opened up to us the possibility of a legal challenge if we did not address it".

Not having a charge for garden waste collection would also be unfair on those who did not have a garden, he added.

But opposition councillor, Labour's John McGhee, said "harmonisation" would have been to offer the service for free across the council area, rather than charge.

He told a meeting of the council's executive it was "unfair to do it at a time when residents are choosing between heating and eating".

Neighbouring West Northamptonshire Council introduced an annual fee of £42 for garden waste collection earlier this year, following the break-up of Northamptonshire County Council.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]