Plans to withdraw the green garden waste bin service in Huntingdonshire and introduce an annual fee for collection are being discussed at a meeting being held next week.

Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) is proposing to end the green bin service from April next year and introduce an annual subscription fee for those who want to retain a collection service.

The annual charge will be set at £57.50 per first bin, £30 for each additional bin, up to a maximum of four bins.

The plans will be discussed at the council's Joint Overview and Scrutiny panel on July 6 and go before Cabinet on July 18. If agreed, the service will end next April.

HDC says the move has been considered due to "financial challenges" and it wants to create a fairer system.

In a report being put before next week's meeting, HDC has stated it needs to "find ways to save money or generate income to combat rising costs, inflation and cuts in government grants".

HDC says around 65 per cent of authorities across England and half of the waste collection authorities in the Eastern region have already opted to charge for household garden waste collections.

"Rather than ceasing our non-statutory free service, this proposal retains the service for subscribers and brings Huntingdonshire in line with the majority of waste collection authorities," the report says.

"Not all properties in Huntingdonshire require the service and the current garden waste collection service costs the council at least £800,000 per annum.

"As the district’s population grows, these costs will rise to meet demand, so introducing a chargeable, subscription-based service will ensure that the service remains sustainable."

The plan is to end the non-chargeable household garden waste collection service on March 31, 2024. Arrangements will then be made to collect bins from households that do not wish to subscribe and wish to return bins.

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