A PAID-FOR garden waste subscription scheme in York is running ‘smoothly’, according to a council chief, amid claims from businesses and opposition parties about traffic ‘chaos’ at a city centre recycling centre since its launch.

Councillor Jenny Kent responded to Liberal Democrat claims of traffic management costs and congestion at the Hazel Court Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) in James Street, York, as well as accusations of a ‘two-tiered system’ of waste collection across wealthy and less wealthy areas of the city.

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City of York Council executive member Cllr Kent said that in the week of the launch of the service in August this year, there were fewer visits to the centre than in the equivalent week the year before, when there was no charge for collection.

‘Overall the scheme will have environmental benefits, as well as ensuring that only those who use the service, pay for it’

City of York Council documents show that to October 6, the garden waste subscription scheme was taken up by 36,602 eligible households, or 55.3 per cent of those who qualify.

Just over sixty-six thousand households were asked to pay for kerbside collection of green bins or find alternative methods of disposal.

Liberal Democrat councillor Paula Widdowson said: “Nearly 30,000 green bins are no longer being collected.

“This has almost halved the green waste recycling we committed to as a city.

“At the same time as taking away the free garden waste collection, the Labour council decided to cut the city’s recycling centre opening times.

“This has resulted in long queues on days the centres are open to recycle their green waste.

“This will result in many homes burning their garden waste or placing it in the grey bins.

“Unless of course, they wish to join the queues at the recycling centres.

“Liberal Democrats have always said that the Green Bin Tax would damage the council’s environmental goals.

“We repeat our call on Labour to scrap the Green Bin Tax.”

Figures sent to The York Press by York’s Labour Group report that there were 4,847 visits to the HWRC in the week that the subscription service was launched (August 5) and 5,0621 visits in the week commencing August 7 the year before, what the group termed the ‘equivalent week’.

Executive member for environment and climate emergency, Cllr Jenny Kent said: “The green waste collection subscription process has gone smoothly, with take up exceeding expectations, and we thank residents who’ve signed up.

“We also thank those households who’ve switched to home composting instead, which means that overall the scheme will have environmental benefits, as well as ensuring that only those who use the service, pay for it.

“Many people across the city don’t have a garden, and have had no use for a service until recently funded by their council tax payments.

“We will now be able to offer the service to a greater number of homes across the city next year.

 “Liberal Democrats appear to be fixated on scaremongering and encouraging people to fly tip or burn their green waste.

“This is against all the evidence we have seen in the 75 per cent of other councils, including 95 per cent of all Liberal Democrat authorities, that already charge, and we have not seen an increase in York since the charge was introduced here.

 “Queues at Hazel Court can be frustrating, but it is important to remember that this isn’t new - they have occurred during busy periods for years, especially during the summer holidays.

“The numbers visiting since the Green Waste collection subscription was introduced are actually slightly lower when compared with the same period last year.

“A city centre tip may not be the perfect location, but we have secured external funding to explore the viability of relocating it to Harewood Whin as part of a Green Energy Park, to ensure we make the best possible decisions on waste disposal for the future.”

Criticising the Labour administration’s roll out of the subscription scheme, Cllr Widdowson added: “The council is providing a two-tiered system where the wealthy areas in the city who can afford to pay the tax can have their green waste collected but less wealthy areas are seeing less than a third signing up.

“Liberal Democrats have always said that the Green Bin Tax would hit the worst off in York the most, as well as damaging the council’s environmental goals.

“The costs of implementing this disastrous policy is far outpacing any gains this year.”