Fenland District Council are currently running a consultation with residents about proposals to charge £40 per year for brown-bin garden waste collections. 

Other than the comments section, the consultation doesn't adequately give Fenland residents an option to express their disapproval with the scheme. The consultation merely seems to be trying to determine how people will dispose of their garden waste after the charge comes into force. Therefore, I've started this petition so that people can express their dissatisfaction with the proposed charge.

Taking charges such as this out of council tax means that people living in properties with a lower council tax banding are disproportionately affected. In Chatteris, £40/year would represent a 3.5% increase on a Band A bill, but only 1.1% for those living in a Band H property. Furthermore, the charge also hits already disadvantaged groups in the community, such as those who rely on public transport or people with mobility issues. 

The council, in part, places the blame for the charge on new houses being built across Fenland. This excuse shows a clear failure of the council to adequately manage the council tax funds paid by residents of these new properties, and failure of the council's ability to negotiate suitable Section 106 developer contributions towards improving local amenities when new housing developments are approved.

You can read my full letter to Fenland District Council here.

We urge the council to re-consider this deeply regressive charge.