Hertsmere Council bin plans for garden waste collection charge in 2024

Hertsmere Borough Council does not currently charge for garden waste, which is recycled together with food waste in a green bin

Councillors have binned plans for a garden waste collection charge in 2024.

Hertsmere Borough Council in Hertfordshire previously agreed plans for an annual £50 collection fee in September 2023, due to begin in April.

The council had wanted to use the estimated £870,000 income from the subscription to set up a new, free food waste collection service.

Authority leaders will now reduce the subscription fee to £0 and instead launch the charge in April 2025.

Councillors agreed to push back the subscription at a meeting on 7 February.

According to a meeting report, charges were delayed after the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told the authority it was set to receive £764,605 of central government money.

A windfall local government pot worth around £130,000, which Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove launched on January 24, would also go towards the service.

"These two amounts put together cover our first year's green bin service," said Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Shenton, who is responsible for the borough's budget.

From April 2025, the authority will charge £50-per-year for a garden waste bin collection, rising to £60 per bin per year for each additional container.

However, food waste would still be collected free of charge from 2025 - ahead of new recycling rules across England set out in the "seven bins" law.

As a result of the Environment Act 2021, authorities must collect glass, metal, plastic, paper and card, food waste, garden waste, and black bag waste separately, unless separating them has "no significant environmental benefit".

All of Hertsmere's neighbouring authorities in Hertfordshire and Greater London charge for garden waste collections.