SKDC councillors review waste collection services and potential fee increases

Council leaders have backed plans to expand bulky waste collections ahead of talks next week around price increases.

South Kesteven District Council’s cabinet examined plans to buy a second bulky waste collection vehicle at its meeting on Tuesday.

The current vehicle operates five days a week with 21 daily booking slots, collecting more than 400 items monthly.

Coun Rhys Baker (Green), cabinet member for environment and waste, said a second vehicle would double capacity and help tackle fly-tipping.

“We have spoken in this chamber about fly-tipping, litter, and the scourge on our rural countryside of the criminality around disposing of fridges, tyres, and bulky items in a very unsafe, dangerous, and environmentally irresponsible way,” he said.

The service earned £90,000 in 2023/24.

If a second vehicle was purchased, it would require a one-off cost of £47,940 and operating costs of £88,160.

Coun Baker said the service “just about washes its face”.

“It doesn’t make a massive profit, it doesn’t make a massive loss,” he said, adding that the decision had been considered “at length” by scrutiny councillors.

Council leader Ashley Baxter (Ind) said he had regular contact with a member of the waste industry in the Deepings who noted there was “quite a lengthy delay” at times.

“Obviously, the expansion of the bulky waste collection service will enable us to be, hopefully, quicker, more responsive, and a more responsive service is likely to be a more popular service,” he said.

Cabinet member for people and communities Rhea Rayside (Lib Dem) added: “This service will hopefully now allow residents to dispose of their large items responsibly, and this expansion will significantly reduce the illegal dumping that we're dealing with.”

She said it promoted clean, safe, and sustainable communities.

The decision will be costed during the budget discussions for final approval.

Next Tuesday, the authority’s environment and scrutiny committee will examine plans to increase garden and bulky waste collection fees by £1 for 2025/26.

A report before councillors said the move would ensure charges continued to cover delivery costs.

It warns a price hike could lower uptake but not raising it risks failing to cover costs.

For bulky waste, the authority currently charges £21 for the first item and £11 for each subsequent item, with fridge freezers charged at £21 per item undiscounted.

The increase would take the prices up to £22 and £11, respectively, and the authority believes it would generate an extra £200 a year.

“The operating costs (including fuel, salaries, and equipment) increase each year in line with inflation,” said the report.

SKDC’s current charges are among the lowest in Lincolnshire, beaten only by South Holland (at £15) for a single item.

Garden waste fees will rise to £52 for the first bin and £43 for the second, with further increases to £54 and £45 by 2027/28.

Compared to the county, SKDC currently has the second-highest charge for the first bin and the third-highest charge for additional bins.