More than 1,600 residents of Derby have signed a petition against council plans to charge for the collection of brown compost bins.
From 2014, Derby city council is planning to introduce a fee of £40 per bin collected, with additional bins provided at a supplementary cost of £20.
Organised by the Conservative opposition in Derby, the petition comes as part of the party’s Axe the Bin Tax campaign.
In a statement on its website the Conservative Party in Derby said: ‘We want to stop Labour's cynical Brown Bin Tax being forced upon the people of Derby and need your support.’
However, Councillor Ranjit Banwait has argued that it should not be labelled a tax because people have the choice of whether or not they have their garden waste collected.
He said: “It is not a tax – people do not have to pay if they do not want to. The alternative is going back to what we have done for generations up until 10 years ago, home composting, which is actually the most environmentally friendly option.
“People can also dispose of waste free of charge at the Raynesway recycling centre or put it into the black bin.”
According to Banwait the move is set to save Derby City Council around £1.7 million a year, money which could be used to fund public services.
Banwait added: "Public services in Derby are on their knees at the moment and we are fighting for our very survival."
The move is in line with similar schemes across the country, as according to the council, almost one third of councils currently charge for the service.
In September 2012 the Fair Deal for Derby campaign against ‘unfair’ government cuts to the Derby budget was launched. According to the campaign, Derby City Council has faced cuts of £75.77 per person, with the national average standing at £61.90 across councils of a comparable size.
The proposed charge has left some Derby residents reeling. Speaking to This Is Derbyshire, petition cosignatory, Tom Strachan, said: “It’s not such a problem for me because I have a garden for composting but people without one may depend on it. I think it’s disgraceful.”
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
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