Garden Waste Collection Service Consultation 2022

Overview

Following local government reorganisation last year, the new unitary council has inherited different approaches to the fortnightly kerbside garden waste collections from the previous local authorities.

In Corby and Kettering, the service is currently provided all year at no extra charge, whilst in Wellingborough, it operates between March and November with no additional cost for users of the service. In East Northamptonshire, the year-round scheme has a £55 annual subscription charge, paid by users of the service.

North Northamptonshire Council wants to harmonise the garden waste collection across the area, so all residents receive the same service.

To harmonise the kerbside garden waste service the Council needs to consider the following:

• To determine which months of the year a kerbside collection service would operate.
• To establish whether a universal garden waste service would be provided to all residents without an additional charge, and should that occur, to consider what impact this will have on other Council services.
• To establish whether a subsidised subscription-based garden waste service would be provided to residents who wish to subscribe to the service and pay a subscription charge.
• And, if a subscription charge was to be levied, the level of this charge.

Any changes to the service will affect many households in North Northamptonshire. We want to hear your views to help us shape the future of this service. All consultation feedback will be analysed and considered and will help Councillors make a final decision on the future of the service.

We acknowledge this a challenging time for a lot of people with rising costs in other areas, such as gas, electricity, fuel, and food.

The environment

North Northamptonshire Council has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

It is important to dispose of all waste responsibly and in a manner that reduces harm to the environment. The most environmentally friendly way to deal with garden waste is to compost it in your garden. It is not good for the environment to put it in the black bin with your general waste because this waste goes towards either energy recovery or energy production. Garden waste has a high water content and therefore uses a lot of energy to burn so using these disposal methods is not a good way to dispose of garden waste.

Garden waste collected through the garden waste service or at the Council’s Household Waste and Recycling Facilities (HWRCs) is turned into compost for use in farming or horticulture. There is also a financial cost to the Council for disposing of waste. The cheapest option for the Council is for residents to compost at home. The most expensive disposal option for the Council is the general waste, which is another reason why it is important to reduce as much waste as possible being disposed of through this route.

Providing a universal garden waste service to all residents requires the Council to drive refuse vehicles along every road even if residents choose not to use the service. A subscription service means the Council only drives to properties who have opted to pay for the service and are likely to need a collection. As a result, it is likely that a subscription service will require fewer vehicles and use less fuel, both of which are better for the environment.

There are also environmental considerations from introducing a subscription for the garden waste service. If a subscription charge is introduced and more residents choose not to use the garden waste service, then they may drive to the HWRCs to dispose of their garden waste, this could increase journeys for residents and result in more emissions. 

Consultation dates

This consultation will run from Monday, 14 March until midnight on Sunday, 17 April 2022.

When the Executive decides on the future service delivery (expected to be in July), they will also consider the implementation timeframe, which could be as early as this Autumn.

Related Documents

Please read the related documents to gain a better understanding of the service and our proposals before giving us your feedback:

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Equality Screening Assessment
• Garden Waste Service Executive Report 22 February 2022
• Waste and Recycling Policy

Have your say

Please tell us your views by completing this questionnaire. You do not have to answer all of the questions or give us your feedback on every section. If you do not wish to answer a question or give feedback on a specific section, then you can skip those questions and move on to the next section.

Your feedback will be part of a report with many other people’s feedback, so you will not be personally identified.

You can also access this online questionnaire free of charge at any North Northamptonshire Council library. Customers are asked to check the opening times of the library you wish to visit and book an appointment in advance. Please see the Library website or telephone 0300 126 3000 to check times and make a booking.

Alternatively, you can email or send your comments in by post using the contact details below.

Email address: gardenwasteconsultation@northnorthants.gov.uk

Postal address:

• North Northamptonshire Council
• Garden Waste Collection Service Consultation
• Sheerness House 
• Meadow Road
• Kettering
• NN16 8TL

If you would like a copy of this questionnaire in another format (including paper, easy read or large print) you can also contact us by telephone:            0300 126 3000 (option 4 Waste & Recycling followed by option 1 for Waste & Recycling).

The deadline for completing this questionnaire is midnight Sunday, 17 April 2022.