Hillingdon Council is facing increased scrutiny over its decision to introduce a £70 subscription charge for green waste collection, a move that reverses a previous commitment to free weekly bin collections. The council says the charge is necessary to save £34 million and avoid bankruptcy.
Faced with a budget deficit, the council considered several options before deciding to implement the green waste collection charge. These included requesting exceptional financial support from the government, which the council said would mean a loss of control over its priorities. Another option was to increase council tax beyond the maximum allowed, which would have required a referendum. Ultimately, the council chose to address the budget issues itself.
The issue was debated at a council meeting on 10 July 2025, where Councillor Stuart Mathers, Leader of the Labour Group, proposed a motion (see page 12 of the Public Reports Pack 10th-Jul-2025) calling for the cabinet to refer the implementation of these charges to the relevant select committee for scrutiny. The motion highlights concerns about the cabinet's decision to introduce the charges, reversing a previous commitment to free weekly bin collections.
The council had previously affirmed its commitment to free weekly bin collections, including recycling and green waste collections, in July 2023.
At the meeting, Councillor Kaushik Banerjee asked Councillor Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Community & Environment, for an update on the rollout of the garden waste subscription scheme (see Questions from Members).