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Gardeners green tax

JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
in The potting shed
I don’t think this is news here, but it’s currently the second most popular story on the bbc news site:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49085346

“Analysis shows some UK councils charge up to £100 a year for a kerbside collection, despite one in four councils providing a free service.

Critics say the service should be free to residents to reduce the amount of clippings being sent to landfill.

Councils say the service is not statutory and home composting is a cheaper alternative.

The BBC's Shared Data Unit looked at the annual subscription charges levied by local councils for regular kerbside garden waste collections”


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Posts

  • b3n.doyleb3n.doyle Posts: 9
    I've been paying for 4 years.

    Started off at £20 and it has since gone up by a fiver each year.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Hmm ...they also had bonfires ... not sure if we want a return to too many of those ...

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think it will come down to what facilities councils have for composting.
    We have year round collection, every week, of a 'brown bin', included in Council Tax. That will be different in other council areas. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    seems not unreasonable that those with gardens who produce garden "waste"  shouldn't be subsidised by those who don't produce "waste" by composting it, and those who don't have gardens. The counter side is that it may lead to more flytipping.
    Devon.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    It's free here and all goes to the waste to energy plant I believe. I don't have space for any more compost bins and don't want to burn weeds and diseased plants here. If there was more investment in waste to energy then gardeners would be providing a service to tax payers rather than being seen as adding to tax bills.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    wild edges said:
    It's free here and all goes to the waste to energy plant I believe. I don't have space for any more compost bins and don't want to burn weeds and diseased plants here. If there was more investment in waste to energy then gardeners would be providing a service to tax payers rather than being seen as adding to tax bills.
    That would require long term planning, something rare these days , unfortunately. 
    Devon.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    We all pay for things we don't use though @Hostafan1. People without children still pay for education. My dad paid twice because we went to a private school. He didn't get a refund  ;)
    I think you're right about fly tipping though. It's often those unscrupulous, unregulated, immoral  'gardening companies' as well as individuals. 
    We sometimes get them coming round here saying the usual 'do you want us to take the branches of that tree down' malarkey. One bloke wasn't pleased when I said 'no - it's completely the wrong time of year for that'.  :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Fairygirl said:
    We all pay for things we don't use though @Hostafan1. People without children still pay for education. My dad paid twice because we went to a private school. He didn't get a refund  ;)

    This is very true, but one could argue that we all benefit from an educated population and private education isn't compulsory as "free" education is available to all. 

    Back to my comfy seat on the fence. lol

    Devon.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    @Hostafan1 - 'lol' indeed  :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    We pay about £80/85 a year for our collection. I'm not too bothered about paying. It's worth it to get rid of sticks and other slow compost stuff. With the vicious cuts to council services, they need to get revenue from somewhere.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
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