North Yorkshire garden waste collection fees may increase

Garden waste collections generated nearly £5m for the authority in the past year, council documents said

The cost of garden waste collections across North Yorkshire could increase under council plans.

Charges were brought in for residents in Selby, who previously did not pay for green bin collections, in August.

North Yorkshire Council said fees will now be "harmonised" for households across the county after the area's district councils were abolished.

The annual subscription cost would rise 6.9% - from £43.50 to £46.50 - if the proposals are agreed by councillors.

The council said the change would mean that from 2024 "the garden waste service will be harmonised for all residents who subscribe across North Yorkshire," according to a report prepared for a meeting.

Residents in Craven, Hambleton and Ryedale would pay £42 as they had already paid for an extra month in their previous bill, the report added.

Garden waste collections generated nearly £5m for the authority in the past year.

Council documents said the subscriptions were an optional service and it was "therefore considered reasonable to apply an inflationary increase to the current charge".

A decision on the cost increase will be made at the meeting on 30 October.