Agenda item

This report sets out the proposed fees and charges for the provision of services in respect of garden waste subscriptions, household bulky refuse & fridge/freezer collections, “missed” refuse collections, stray dog redemption fees, Tonbridge Allotments, Tonbridge Cemetery, events, billboards and banners, pest control, food certificates, contaminated land monitoring and private water supplies from 1 April 2024.

The joint report of the Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services, the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health and the Director of Finance and Transformation set out the proposed fees and charges for the provision of services in respect of garden waste subscriptions, household bulky refuse and fridge/freezer collections, “missed” refuse collections, stray dog redemption fees, Tonbridge Allotments, Tonbridge Cemetery, events, billboards and banners, food certificates, contaminated land monitoring and private water supplies from 1 April 2024. 

In bringing forward the charging proposals for 2024/25 consideration had been given to a range of factors, including the Borough Council’s overall financial position, market position, trading patterns, the current rate of inflation and customer feedback, apart from which a set of guiding principles for the setting of fees and charges had also been taken into account and were summarised in 1.1.2 of the report.

Particular reference was made to the Allotments in Tonbridge managed by the Tonbridge Allotments and Gardens Association on behalf of the Borough Council and it was clarified by the Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services that the Association was a non-profit organisation.

The Head of Housing and Health brought to Members’ attention that the fees and charges for the provision of services in relation to pest control had been resolved separately under Cabinet Member Decision D230093MEM on 13 October 2023 due to the need to extend the contract arrangements in place.

In addition, Members noted that it was proposed not to increase the fee for 2024/25 of requests for re-visits of food businesses following food hygiene inspections as detailed in 1.11 of the report.

RECOMMENDED*:  That

(1)        the proposed annual garden waste subscription of £53 for the first bin and £36 for a second or third bin, as set out in 1.2.4 of the report, be approved;

(2)        the schedule of proposed charges for household bulky refuse and fridge/freezer collection service as set out in 1.3.5 and 1.3.6 of the report, be approved;

(3)        the proposed charge for “missed” refuse collection as set out in 1.4.3 of the report, be approved;

(4)        the schedule of proposed charges in respect of Stray Dog redemption service, as set out in 1.5.3 to 1.5.5 of the report, be approved;

(5)        the charging structure for Tonbridge Allotment as set out in 1.6.1 and 1.6.2 of the report, be noted;

(6)        the schedule of proposed charges for Tonbridge Cemetery as set out in Annex 1 and 1.7.2 of the report, be approved;

(7)        the schedule of proposed charges for Events on Public Open Spaces, including the hire of billboards and banners, as set out in Annex 2 and 1.8 of the report, be approved;

(8)        the proposed charge for condemned food certificates as set out in 1.9.2 of the report, be approved;

(9)        the proposed charge for exported food certificates as set out in 1.10.4 of the report, be approved;

(10)      the proposed charge for provision of services in respect of contaminated land as set out in 1.13.5 of the report, be approved;

(11)      the proposed charge for provision of services in respect of private water supplies as set out in 1.14.3 and 1.14.5 of the report, be approved; and

(12)      the above proposed scale of charges be implemented from 1 April 2024.

*Recommended to Cabinet