Letter: Garden waste - Money-making waste charge

I am not surprised only 18,000, as reported in the Harrogate Advertiser on June 15, have signed up for the '˜optional' garden waste removal scheme.

As can be seen from the WYG report on HBC website the £39 charge is purely to make money for HBC, albeit some maybe spent on additional recycling.

In the report the net cost to HBC for providing the service to 46,588 households was £412,259 - £8.85 per household (recycling credits less collection costs and gate fees).

If only 40 per cent of Harrogate households sign up to the scheme for a year paying £39 then not only will HBC save the current collection costs but also generate net income of £622,036.

The net income is derived from removal fees, plus recycling credits, less collection costs and gate fees.

HBC will have received income of £421,200 from the 18,000 current users who signed up for the service from June this year.

Catherine Alderson

Harrogate 