Excess DIY waste charges agreed for Gloucestershire tips
Gloucestershire County Council chiefs have agreed a free allowance for residents to dispose of up to eight 50 litre bags of do it yourself waste a month.
People will be charged for disposing “excess” home improvements waste at Gloucestershire’s tips from September.
However, those disposing of any rubble, plasterboard, soil and other household fixtures from such projects above that amount will be charged.
An extra 50L bag of bricks, rubble or stones would cost £5 each while disposing of large paving slabs would cost £2.50 each while it will cost £1 for each breeze block or small paving slab disposed of above the free allowance.
Disposing of a 20 litre bag of tiles or items such as a bath, basin, toilet cistern, kitchen unit, shower tray or cabinet would cost £2.50. While disposing of a 50L bag of plasterboards would cost £10.
The council estimates that this will provide a net revenue of between £300,000 and £450,000 a year.
However, the proposals have sparked backlash with hundreds of people signing a petition against the proposals. And there is opposition from Reform UK councillors at Shire Hall.
Councillor Ray Donaghue (R, Cinderford) said he asked officers whether future price rises would be referred back to the environment scrutiny committee but the answer was no.
“Once this door is open, the charges can climb and the list can grow, and scrutiny will never see it again,” he said. “This is only the start, and it will hurt residents.”
Meanwhile, his group leader Vernon Smith (R, Tewkesbury West) claimed the new charge was approved on incomplete information a week before cabinet signed it off.
“If the case is as strong as the administration claims, it should have no fear of publishing the full costs and asking the public directly,” he said.
However, Liberal Democrat Councillor Ashley Bowkett (Barnwood and Hucclecote), who is responsible for reducing waste at Shire Hall, told the cabinet meeting on July 22 that there had been “misinformation” and a misunderstanding around the council’s proposals to charge for excess DIY waste.
“Number one, residents are not being charged to use household recycling centres,” he said.
“Number two, residents are not being charged for ordinary household waste and number three, residents are not being charged for normal recycling.”
He also explained that residents will not be charged for small amounts of DIY waste either.
“What is being proposed is a charge for excess DIY waste beyond a generous free allowance,” he said.
Residents will still be able to dispose of up to two 50 litre bags of DIY waste per visit and make up to four visits in a four week period without any charges applying,” he added.
“That means someone can bring the equivalent of up to eight 50 litre bags of DIY waste over a four week period free of charge before any payment is required,” he said.
“They could also bring up to 12 baths a year. I don’t know how many householders have 12 baths, maybe some commercial operators in the county who are using our household recycling centres as a nice freebie.”
He explained the charges would not affect a resident “throwing away a few tiles from a bathroom repair” or someone “disposing of a small amount of rubble from a home improvement project.
“Charges only come into play where much larger volumes are involved,” he said.
He went on to say that the choice was whether the cost falls on every Gloucestershire council taxpayer or on the businesses wrongly using the facilities intended for residents.