South Gloucestershire Council garden waste fees set to double

Garden waste collections would cost £60 per household under the new proposals

Garden waste fees are set to double and free parking could end across South Gloucestershire as the council faces a huge funding shortfall.

Cabinet members will meet to approve next year's budget on Thursday and face "incredibly difficult decisions".

The proposed increase in the garden waste charge from £30 to £60 would boost the council's finances by £1.3m a year.

South Gloucestershire Council needs to plug a £7.7m budget gap in 2024.

The garden waste service cost £36 when it was first introduced in 2014 and currently costs £30 per household.

A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said: "The average charge of a neighbouring eight local authorities around South Gloucestershire is £55.25 per year.

"Costs of delivering this service and disposing of garden waste have increased...meaning we have no choice to put them up."

Free car parking at council owned sites would also end under the plans with the cost set to raise £1.5m to £2m a year.

The council blamed factors outside of their control including inflation, fewer homes being built meaning not as many council tax payers and delays to the Government's Levelling Up Bill.

'No easy decisions'

Claire Young, one of the South Gloucestershire Council co-leaders, said: "We have to balance our budget for the coming year, but not without taking some incredibly difficult decisions that will affect much-loved services.

"In recent years, the council has been able to cover this funding gap by using its reserves and making efficiencies.

"The reality is that councils across the country are badly underfunded by central government, who keep passing the responsibility for increasing amounts of services onto local authorities without the money to pay for them.

"None of these decisions will be easy but we want to work through it alongside local people."

Cabinet will approve the consultation with the final budget and proposals set to be presented to full council in February.

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