Garden waste tax begins in Edinburgh

Alex Gosman thinks the council tax should cover bin collections

City of Edinburgh Council's controversial garden tax has begun - prompting concerns about a rise in fly tipping.

However, the local authority said more residents have paid than it had expected. More than 61,000 bins have been registered for the £25 annual fee.

The council said the move would mean a saving of about £1.3m every year.

Collections will now move from three-weekly to fortnightly. Stickers are attached to registered bins.

Lesley Macinnes, City of Edinburgh Council's transport and environment convener, said: "We are in common with most local authorities across the UK facing some budgetary constraints and that's one of the reasons we are doing this.

"We are also doing it at a time when we are improving the service. We are going from every three weeks to an every two week collection."

"I don't believe we are going to see any serious issue around fly tipping. Other local authorities who have gone down this path before us have not seen any significant rise."

Alex Gosman, Edinburgh resident, said: I don't think its justifiable. The council tax should cover emptying the bins. It has done in the past for many many years so why it has to have an extra charge, I don't know.

"I think it will be dumped elsewhere by people who don't go to the tip or cant make it to the tip.

"People who cant get to the tip are almost blackmailed into paying those charges because where else can they put it?"

Ian Thomas, from Mountcastle in Edinburgh, said: "I object to this. I can foresee going back to the old days where the back roads are all going to become dumping grounds because I know for a fact some people are not paying the £25. So they are obviously going to dump it somewhere. I think most of it will be dumped at night.

"I think we pay enough as it is."

Dot Homwood, from Edinburgh said: "I want my garden cleared and I don't want to have to go to the tip as the tip down the road is awkward to get into.

"When it was a three week collection that was too long in the summertime so now its going to be a fortnight so I'll be glad to get my bin emptied."

A few other councils including Moray, Angus, Highland and Midlothian already have a similar charge or are planning to introduce one.

Scottish Borders Council no longer has a garden waste collection service. Instead garden waste can be taken to any of its seven recycling centres or the council provide advice on composting at home.