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Cost Of Isle Of Wight Green Waste Subscriptions Set To Rise

A price hike is on the cards for garden lovers who have signed up to the Isle of Wight Council’s green waste collection service.

Subscriptions are set to rise by a third – from £72 per year, to £96.

It would mean an increase from £6 to £8 per month, or an extra £24 per year.

In 2017, it cost just £60 to get your garden waste collected.

At last night’s (Wednesday’s) corporate scrutiny committee, chair Cllr Steve Hastings questioned how many Islanders would stop using the scheme over what he called a ‘dramatic’ price increase.

He said it would ‘risk more than we gain.’

Cllr Jonathan Bacon, environment and waste cabinet member, said there is always a risk of losing customers when prices rise.

He argued the benefits would outweigh the negatives, saying more Islanders would be able to sign up.

Cllr Richard Quigley said the service was not ‘essential’ service and argues the price increase would take considerable pressure off other services.

In all, 10,450 Islanders use the green waste collection scheme and growth in popularity means a second lorry had been purchased.

The report says 1,200 people are on the waiting list to join the scheme. It argues the price hike would help shore it up financially.

There are also plans for a third vehicle to collect green waste.

The decision needs to be made tonight (Thursday), to allow subscriptions to be renewed from the new year.

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