Brown bin charges voted in
An annual charge is to be implemented for brown bin users in the borough after councillors voted to introduce the fee.
St Edmundsbury Borough Council voted in favour of the proposed fee, expected to be between £35 and £50 for residents who wish to keep their brown bins.
The charge, proposed instead of a council tax rise, will help cover a £500,000 shortfall which will be left after central government funding and a subsidy for composting organic waste are reduced.
Cllr Peter Stephens cabinet member for operations said the charge was "a product of our own over success".
"The calculations are for a fall off in households who use the service ovf about 10 to 20 per cent at its worst". he said.
A possible increase in fly-tipping more compostable waste being put in black bins and people using other peoples brown bins were all cited as concerns.
Cllr Julia Wakelam deputy mayor said "I think it is really disappointing that our commitment to recycling depends on how much money we get for it. We need to be thinking long term".
In total 37 councillors voted for the proposals and 5 against.
My argument is this Do we not pay already to have our bins emptied by the council tax? And what next pay for the blue and black to be emptied? Which again we already pay for. I for one will tell them to collect my brown bin and i will find another way to get rid of my brown bin waste and i hope everyone else will do the same, but they won't.