Green waste collection charges starting in May

Information leaflets about changes to Burnley Borough Council’s garden waste collection scheme are being delivered across the borough.

The council is introducing a charge for “green” collections in light of funding and subsidy cuts and ever-decreasing budgets.

Coun. Lian Pate, the council’s executive member for community services, said: “We didn’t take this decision lightly. However, like many other councils across the country, we can’t continue to offer this non-statutory service without introducing a charge.”

Households who already receive a garden waste collection will get an information leaflet posted through their letterbox over the next couple of weeks. It sets out details about how the scheme will work, how to sign up to it, and includes a series of questions and answers.

Households that sign up to the new scheme by March 16th will get an “early bird” discounted price of £25 for a year, as opposed to the usual price of £30.

Collections will remain on a fortnightly basis, with the usual shutdown period over winter. Households will receive 20 collections a year – working out at £1.25 per collection if they sign up for the “early bird” discount.

The chargeable service will start on May 1st. Until then the council will continue to run its garden waste collection service free of charge.

More details are available at www.burnley.gov.uk/gardenwaste.