Our council is charging us £40 to have our BIN collected... there is no way we're paying up

Release time：2024-05-21 18:01:51 Source：Planet Pulse news portal

Furious residents have slammed their local council as a 'joke' after it demanded a £40 charge to collect their bins.

Locals in Coventry say the extra charge will encourage more illegal fly tippers and lead to neighbours' rowing.

It comes after Coventry City Council warned residents they needed to sign up for paid-for garden waste collections at £40 a year or return their brown wheelie bins.

Defiant Steve Glidle - among the many householders angered and disappointed by with the extra levy -  told MailOnline: 'It's a joke and I definitely won't be paying the charge. Why should I be?

'I use the garden waste bin but I won't be any more. I've not thought yet how I'll be getting rid of my grass cuttings and trimmings but I won't be forking out for the collection.'

Coventry residents have slammed a new council scheme to charge for garden waste collections as 'rubbish'

In response, some have vowed to ditch the service which they say should be free

Locals, including Steve Glidle (pictured),  fear the extra cost amidst the spiralling cost of living crisis will encourage more illegal fly tippers

The retired dental company driver said: 'I'm not happy about it, no one is, around here, we are all against it. 

'The council and Government keep taking more and more of our money. It's ridiculous.

'It will have a negative effects and it will only lead to more fly tipping which is bad enough in our area.'

Mr Glidle, who lives with his wife and son in a terraced house overlooking a pleasant park, has lawns front and back which need regular cutting but no hedges to trim.

He said: 'When the new paid for service comes in I'll be boycotting it but have no idea what to do with the garden waste.

'All I know is the scheme is rubbish.'

Cash-strapped Coventry City Council said their opt-in scheme, starting in June, was essential with a spokesperson telling our website it was 'facing significant financial pressures caused by inflation and rising demand for some services.'

They added: 'We are only doing it now because we absolutely have to.'

Pub landlord Michael Griffin has said he will not be paying the new fees 

Residents were warned they need to sign up for paid-for garden waste collections in at £40 a year

Pub landlord Michael Griffin promised: 'I won't be paying, why should I? I'll be burning all my garden waste instead.

'The council is going to charge us for taking away our garden rubbish but they can't even repair the many potholes in the road you drive over every day.

'Why should we pay for a bin collection service which should be free when they can't even maintain the roads properly.'

Mr Griffin, who also runs a rental homes business, fears the new charges will eventually branch out to other essential bin collections - household waste and green, which includes plastics, glass and paper.

He said: 'It will have a knock-on affect with the other bins and will encourage more fly tippers.

'The council is not helping people get rid of their rubbish in a responsible way. They are not doing gardeners a favour, they are hindering us.

'I'll burn it like my dad used to, by making a compost heap in the back garden.

He added: 'The garden bin often goes out half empty, and having to pay for it doesn't help. It's not a great idea.'

Mr Griffin told how there was continuing confusion among the triple different bins - all dark green in colour with differing colour lids to reflect the waste.

He said: 'Some people are very confused with what goes where, particularly in the multiple occupancy households with so many bins, and it's just a pain.

'People will start dumping garden rubbish in random bins causing disputes.

He added: 'I don't want the brown bin and have asked the council to come and take it away but they won't.

'They say it belongs to the property and now I am having to hold onto it, taking space and it will be un-used.'

The new charge being introduced in Coventry for collection of 240-litre garden bins brings the city in line with around half more councils across the country

Some 160 local authorities of a total of 317 local authorities are now making that significant charge

The new charge being introduced in Coventry for collection of 240-litre garden bins brings the city in line with around half of the councils across the country.

Some 160 local authorities of a total of 317 local authorities are now making that significant charge.

Brenda Haywood, 81, said: 'I am against it but I need to use the service so will have to pay, reluctantly.'

The retired car company machinist, who boasts a beautiful front and back garden which her brother helps her maintain, said: 'We are being left with no option.'

The pensioner slated the council for making residents pay for a service 'which should be free.'

She said: 'They are charging us for taking away a few branches and grass cuttings but they don't bother repairing the poor roads and leaks, or moving on the undesirables and druggies who gather at the nearby park.

'A lot of councils have no money and our local one is charging us to make money. That seems wrong.

'The scheme will encourage people to fly tip and go around the streets using other peoples' bins. They should drop it and go back to a free service.'

Mrs Haywood added: 'Just the other week a huge pile of building waste was dumped in the park and old old hoover was discarded beside my house.

'Some people have no respect and this scheme will make the situation worse.'

Retired engineer David Holmes, 75, has said he will begrudgingly pay for the service 

Retired engineer David Holmes, 75, said: 'We are going to use the bins so we will have to pay for it but we are not very happy.'

'We're pensioners and it is another drain on our finances and it is a difficult time for all.

'Plus it will possibly have a knock on affect and the next thing we'll be paying for household and recycling waste, That's a worry.'

Retired dental nurse wife Linda, 75, said: 'I think it is a shame, the bin is useful to us because we are very keen gardeners and need it.

'We love our garden so will have to pay up.'

Neighbour Baskar Nalathamby sighed: 'Reluctantly I'll have to pay it but it doesn't seem fair.

'I have a front, back and side garden and use that bin so I have no option.

'I pay nearly £2,000 a year in council tax which should cover all bin collections.

The Tesco supermarket customer assistant pointed out that garden waste was taken away 26 weeks of the year but he only needed collections six to 10 times over the summer and autumn months.

Resident Emma Morgan agreed the scheme was 'rubbish' even though she has artificial grass 

Resident Emma Morgan agreed the scheme was 'rubbish.'

The retail worker said: 'It's wrong, with the cost of living crisis and the increased council tax, but it is what is it.

'Many people, from the young to the pensioners are struggling.

'We have artificial grass so have no lawn mowings and the front garden is a drive so we don't use the service anymore but would be annoyed it we had to pay for it.'

Kathleen Ridley said: 'They can take our brown bin back because I'm not paying £40 to get it emptied, they are just robbing people of their money.'

Lynne Proctor added: 'It's disgusting and makes you wonder what else they will charge us for next.'

Terry Johnston stated: 'It's going to cost a lot of money in street cameras to control any local fly tipping in the streets where people live and back alleys

Residents choosing to opt in for the service will pay the annual fee and receive a sticker for their bin to prove they are part of the scheme.

Those who decline will not get their garden bin - designed for grass cuttings, hedge and shrub trimmings, plants, flowers, weeds an twigs - collected,

Residents choosing to opt in for the service will pay the annual fee and receive a sticker for their bin to prove they are part of the scheme

A spokesperson for Coventry City Council told MailOnline: 'Like many other authorities we are facing significant financial pressures caused by inflation and rising demand for some services.

'In addition, Coventry continues to be severely underfunded, receiving far less funding per head than the national average.

'Councils are required by law to set a balanced budget and this has meant we've had to make some changes to our services.

'Our priority has been to protect essential services including those that support the most vulnerable while continuing to deliver Council priorities.

'We're one of the last local authorities in the West Midlands to introduce garden waste charges and are only doing it now because we absolutely have to.'

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