An inflation-busting rise in garden waste collection fees for Tonbridge and Malling residents has been described as the “equivalent of a garden tax” by Green councillor Mark Hood. From April 1, 2024, the annual cost for the service will increase from £53 to £63, with charges for additional bins rising steeply from £26 to £40.
Currently, 28,400 households – over half of the borough – subscribe to the service. However, the 19% hike, coupled with a 54% increase for extra bins, has sparked concerns among Green councillors that residents may opt out of the service entirely, leading to potential revenue loss and environmental consequences.
Cllr Mark Hood said:
“This is the equivalent of a garden tax. The increase is not required to cover the cost of the service to the council. It is entirely a revenue-raiser.”
He also warned that residents unable to afford the increase may dispose of garden waste in black bins, sending it to incineration, which is more expensive and environmentally damaging than recycling.
Cllr Stacey Pilgrim had already spoken against the increases for Garden Waste and Bulky Waste collections and called for discounts for those receiving benefits already offered to residents in many other councils. Stating that this might increase the take up of the garden waste service and allow the council to improve our recycling performance.
We know that many people are simply bagging up garden waste and putting it in their general waste which is incinerated, hiking the price will not encourage residents to use the service and we fear a drop in subscriptions and an increase in fly-tipping.
Concerns About Environmental & Social Impacts
Cllr Lee Athwal also warned that the sharp price hike could exacerbate fly-tipping:
“Although the number of households subscribing to the garden waste service is high, the trend has been slightly downwards. Such a big increase might lead to more people choosing to fly-tip.”
While Green councillors urged the cabinet to introduce measures to make the service more accessible, some defended the hike. Cllr Mark Rhodes (Con) argued that even with the increase, the service remains good value compared to driving to the tip, calculating his personal costs for trips to be £47.32 a year in fuel alone.
Council leader Cllr Matt Boughton suggested adopting the increase for now, saying the borough could consider discounts if a substantial drop-off in subscriptions occurs.
The cabinet’s unanimous decision aims to generate an additional £157,500 annually. However, critics warn that the financial and environmental risks of the fee hike could outweigh its benefits.