Stroud District Council’s garden waste scheme at capacity in some areas
Published: Tuesday, 29 May, 2018
Stroud District Council’s garden waste scheme has proved so popular that full capacity has been reached in some areas of the district. Over ten thousand subscriptions have been signed up to under the scheme which collects garden waste from people’s homes fortnightly for ten months each year, from February to the end of November.
Residents who join the scheme receive a brown 180 litre bin as part of their first year’s subscription charge, and then renew their subscription annually. Customers who have a garden waste bin but haven’t yet renewed their subscription for 2018 will still be able to renew for this year.
Any new customers in the areas where the scheme is at full capacity (see list below) will be able to join a waiting list.
"It’s fantastic news that the scheme has proved so popular," said Councillor Simon Pickering, chair of the council’s Environment Committee.
"However we are now a self-financing council and ensure all services, for which we charge, can cover their cost. We have to examine every budget very carefully. It's simply not cost effective to pay for extra vehicles and crew unless the numbers of subscribers cover the cost."
Cllr Pickering has an alternative suggestion for dealing with garden waste for anyone who is currently unable to join the scheme:
"Keen gardeners can compost much of their garden waste, and their gardens will then benefit from the mulch they create," he said.
"Getting rid of all the nutrients in the form of green waste that one has carefully grown doesn’t really make sense in these more ecologically and financially aware times. By using natural ecosystems, all the nutrients are recycled."
Residents can buy discounted compost bins from getcomposting.com, where a 220 litre bin costs £8.49 plus delivery. Details, as well as tips on how to create a DIY compost bin are available on www.stroud.gov.uk/compost.
The towns and parishes which have now reached capacity are:
- Alkington
- Arlingham
- Berkeley
- Brimscombe and Thrupp
- Cam
- Chalford
- Eastington
- Frampton on Severn
- Fretherne with Saul
- Hardwicke
- Haresfield
- Hillesley and Tresham
- Kingswood
- Nailsworth
- Painswick
- Pitchcombe
- Rodborough
- Slimbridge
- Standish
- Stonehouse
- Stroud
- Upton St Leonards
- Whitminster
- Wotton under Edge