Forum Topic

Ealing Council to reduce garden waste collections

As we are not going to be given a reduction to what we have just paid this year 2024 this can only be a new form of revenue I suppose. I've put out bags every single month last year but maybe I'm unusual anybody else have a view on this?

Paul Hughes-Smith ● 365d41 Comments

Yes Philippa. That’s well known in horticulture. Ericaceous plants like camellias and rhododendrons create their own mulch over time from flowers and leaves decomposing around the root system.The link you posted works for large scale gardens like Wisley, it doesn’t necessarily translate to a relatively small urban or suburban garden. A lot of people don’t really want to have their borders looking like haystacks all year round, particularly in some of the more affluent areas like Chiswick.Of course, the council could force garden owners to home compost by simply scrapping the collection service, but then that would affect its much trumpeted recycling figures and upset eater a lot of residents.

Simon Hayes ● 297d

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/lifestylegeneral/get-rid-of-your-green-waste-bin-and-let-leaves-rot-into-the-soil-says-garden-expert/ar-AA1nRVnB?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=e04e8675173e4fcc888c4e04e66cdb05&ei=21

Philippa Bond ● 298d

Experienced gardeners have not been digging for a long time, but plants still grow and need cutting back. Not sure quite what your point is Philippa.

Simon Hayes ● 298d

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/foodanddrink/other/why-no-dig-gardening-has-taken-off-in-britain/ar-AA1nZl6Q?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=51bb30009ca0413b832b6ce5e51fc573&ei=29A story of No Dig Gardening including Raymond Blanc, Charles Dowding and Chelsea...

Philippa Bond ● 298d

*that Jayne made

Stewart Jones ● 321d

Quite able to differentiate. I was referring to the conflation that Jayne masse in her previous comment.

Stewart Jones ● 321d

I presume you cannot differentiate between local and national politics.The last time that many councils produced a fully balanced budget was when they had a Tory administration but let's not let the facts get in the way of individual prejudices.

N V Brooks ● 322d

Because the last so many years of the Tories in power have been such a joy ! Lol

Stewart Jones ● 322d

I think that many of the current administration's policies need burying far deeper than that.

N V Brooks ● 322d

I agree it is expensive.  Perhaps more people are composting their garden waste and mulching over the uninvited guest plants and going No Dig or Regenerative Growing.There is a film next Wednesday week 17 April at Ealing Picture House called Six Inches Deep:https://ealingtransition.org.uk/

Philippa Bond ● 322d

"Many other Councils do not collect garden waste or have a reduced garden waste in the winter months."  I have found only one other council, not local, that charges as much for such a restricted service."Ealing Council will certainly give out bags to be used for street leaves.  You just have to ask for them."  Which they will deliver weeks later and then take many more weeks to collect. Complaints about this 'service' are common on social media.

N V Brooks ● 322d

Many other Councils do not collect garden waste or have a reduced garden waste in the winter months.  There are a noticeable lack of garden waste bins or bags put out in the winter. We have also been advised NOT to do so much cleaning and clearing of gardens in autumn and winter as (some people actually now use vacuums and pressure hoses so are over vigorous) as this disturbs all the hibernating butterflies and moths and other insects many of which are sadly in decline.Ealing Council will certainly give out bags to be used for street leaves.  You just have to ask for them.  The pavements are very contaminated and I don't think that the Environment Authority has changed their view that these leaves should not be composted.All councils seem to be having problems whatever political party and there is an increasing number of adults and children needing social care and an increasing elderly population.https://www.local.gov.uk/about/campaigns/save-local-services/save-local-services-how-ps1-council-funding-spent

Philippa Bond ● 322d

Simon you are so right, there are some good citizens in chiswick that not only clear up their own leaves from their gardens in the winter months but also sweep leaves from the pavements. Why? because the pavements are death traps in the winter with wet leaves that the council don’t look after. It is utterly outrageous that Ealing will not be collecting garden waste in the winter months. Poor management and no regard for the environment or the residents that fund them. Labour run council since 2010 what joys we have to look forward with Keir at the helm if Ealing council is anything to go by 🥺😫😱😱😱

Jayne Thorburn ● 323d

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jun/12/stop-the-spadework-how-no-dig-gardening-helps-the-planet-and-your-backThere is also a film - see the Ealing Transition Website.And there was also a competition re composters in the Ealing magazine.

Philippa Bond ● 323d

Yes, there  will  be no general recycling as widely announced. Including no facility to dispose of green waste.So mush for Ealing's 'commitment' to recycling. Pathetic.

N V Brooks ● 359d

Stirling Road we have been told is going to reopen but the idea seems to be more like Brent's Park Royal one with repair and reuse the prime objective.  We will have to wait and see.

Philippa Bond ● 359d

Some while I was told by a Councillor that Hounslow make a profit from the green waste collection.If they still do I don't know but it seems to me that there is no reason why a profit can't be turned given the right management.

Adrian Irving ● 359d

I asked Costigan for details about this benchmarking and also to provide full disclosure of how much money will be saved by reducing the collections. Like most politicians she hasn’t replied because she knows there’s nothing to support the policy. Will have to wait for the FOI answers now.Stirling Road was very well used and far more accessible for many than Greenford. Closing it was just another environmental own goal by the council, along with its very restrictive DIY recycling policy. Most people now simply put DIY waste in the bin rather than pay the charges applied at the tip.

Simon Hayes ● 359d

Shame that the council which you defend so blindly at every opportunity Philippa closed Sterling Road to accepting garden waste isn't it?Cllr.Costigan claims that Ealing has 'benchmarked' its costs and services against other councils. Rubbish, as no neighbouring council delivers such a limited service at such a high cost.

N V Brooks ● 359d

Simon. It was originally historical and perhaps is less likely today now that many more appreciate and understand the importance of plants and greenery but there will still be people who won't think past it being cheaper and easier to just pave or deck instead so they won't need any collection at all unaware that there are and will still be drawbacks and challenges and not just to themselves.  In particular I remember all the pots of dead and neglected plants that so often decorated front gardens as they obviously actually proved more of a challenge to keep alive especially when the weather was hot and dry for long periods or when residents went on holiday without making arrangements for them to be looked after.In the past I also shared trips to Stirling Road which was my preferred site to take garden waste about three times a year as I would do a round trip including other tasks or visits.

Philippa Bond ● 359d

Philippa, really do think before you post.  Collecting garden waste does not encourage people to concrete over their garden. I don’t know anybody who uses the council collection service who has decided to make their garden more prone to flash flooding or any of the other things you  cite. If  anything it’s the opposite, they look after their green spaces more. You should worry more about  those who want a low maintenance garden. Those are the concrete  delights, and plenty of them too.

Simon Hayes ● 360d

Not true, Portugal has awesome rubbish and recycling service in the Algarve, great services etc ….. and if I was a tax paying resident there my effective tax rate would be quite similar in actual fact.

Mark Talbot ● 360d

"If you concrete over your garden then you will produce less garden waste. That’s an inevitable outcome. I’m not sure why you think your point is logical."Simply because nobody should be encouraging residents to concrete over their gardens instead of growing greenery which is good for counteracting air pollution, slows down rainwater flowing into our combined rainwater and sewage pipes and so reduces flash flooding and which is good for the wellbeing of everyone - those who live there and those who may pass by and enjoy it.  Also adding home made compost to your garden increases the amount of water that the soil holds as well as feeding your plants.

Philippa Bond ● 360d

Well, 14,000 plus subscribers in Ealing, all paying either £73 or £96 a year for the service is a pretty hefty bit of income. The council has never said if the paid for service costs it a substantial amount to subsidise.Presumably the lorry crews will be deployed elsewhere or just laid off. Or do they get paid gardening leave?

Simon Hayes ● 360d

Unless and until the people of this country accept that they cannot have European-style social services with American levels of taxation, there will be endless arguments like this about lack of money and allocation of resources. And no politican is brave enough to say that. Far too many of us live in a fantasy money-grows-on-trees world.

Paul Charlton ● 360d

I seem to recall that the biggest use I made of our garden waste bags in 2023 was the last 2 collections in December as the leaves fell so late and wanted to clear our front garden path before elderly parents visited for Xmas.Why on earth they didn't downgrade to once a month rather than just cancel Dec to Mar is ridiculous and certainly enough for us not to renew. Perhaps that's their gameplan - enough people cancel that they then claim there's no demand for the service.

Mark Talbot ● 360d

Sorry Philippa but that’s nonsense. If you concrete over your garden then you will produce less garden waste. That’s an inevitable outcome. I’m not sure why you think your point is logical.You haven’t actually come up with any alternative that I don’t already use to dispose of garden waste. Please reread the posts. You will see that the bin is shared. There are things that can’t be home composted.Not collecting it for three or four months won’t reduce the amount that needs collecting, will it? Where does that stuff sit for that period of time? Maybe you are offering your front garden as an interim dump.I didn’t start this thread so perhaps there are others in the borough who have a ‘personal agenda’ about the service. My point has always been that offering a significantly worse service for more money is dishonest and unfair. Just because you don’t think any garden waste should be collected is irrelevant.I suggest you start a separate thread about Careline. Another example of Ealing false economy.

Simon Hayes ● 360d

What do you think about Ealing Council stopping the Careline contract in their care homes?  Yet more proof that the council don't give a flying fig about the elderly and disabled.

N V Brooks ● 360d

Simon  I keep on telling you that I have never thought (and I actually argued with the consultants who advised it) that the free collection and then paid for collection of garden waste was such a good idea as it was bound to have unintentional consequences with increased concrete and reduced greenery.  However it was an absolutely brilliant way of increasing the amount of recycling collected in order to improve recycling figures and a Council's place in the Recycling League Tables.I have suggested ways in which you can reduce the volume of garden waste you make but that just doesn't agree with your personal agenda.  And because it doesn't you insist on being insulting.  I can SEE the reduced amount of garden waste during the winter as there are very few bags put out in our street.  We don't have large gardens so we use bags of which we have three.  Many Councils do reduce their collection during the winter months. Brent is one - it goes to a once a month collection instead of fortnightly. They don't have a Christmas tree collection (although you can take your tree to specific parks) so people use their garden waste bins for their cut up Christmas trees.Twickenham now has a Library of Things as well as Hammersmith.  Although right now neither has a garden waste shredder but that doesn't mean people can't ask and they won't have one in future.  They can also be hired from elsewhere.BTW  When did you last see an Ealing Council compost giveaway?  I used to alert people to these.What do you think about Ealing Council stopping the Careline contract in their care homes?

Philippa Bond ● 360d

Agree, Simon

Claire Moran ● 361d

Nice try Philippa but this isn’t a change for the better, is it? As others have pointed out on this thread and elsewhere. There’s a lot of stuff that can’t go in an ordinary garden compost heap. Perhaps you should read the RHS advice on composting.As I’ve said before, making it harder for people to recycle discourages them from doing so. And charging people more for a worse service (and then claiming it’s not an issue) is downright dishonest.You really are an abject apologist for the Ealing greenwashers, and don’t seem to see the contradiction in what you say.

Simon Hayes ● 361d

Simon  Life is full of changes and perhaps it's time to also reassess your position instead of immediately railing out.at anyone at anything who dares to upset your status quo?https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2023/04/increase-garden-biodiversity/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2pDGg-fPhAMVxZdQBh3T-QZKEAAYAiAAEgI9nfD_BwE

Philippa Bond ● 362d

So Philippa, you agree the council is wrong with this policy?

Simon Hayes ● 365d

In Richmond you have to buy your Council bin for green waste and pay a subscription and if you only have a little you can buy special bags to use and do not have to pay the subscription.  You can also pay six months at a time.In Brent the green waste collection is once a month over the winter.

Philippa Bond ● 365d

Since the closure of Bollo Lane Recycling (which needed a car) the garden waste scheme has been a real boon if you can't compost at home for some reason.If the council had said no collections in December and January I probably wouldn't mind, but February is when a lot of gardens have last years borders cleared and the first mow of the year. My garden bin is full for collections tomorrow as it was two weeks ago.

Tessa Russell ● 365d

It’s just another tax and a decision made without any reference to the people who use the service. Cllr Costigan provides no evidence to back up any of her claims, as usual.The irony is she says people can drive to the tip in Greenford despite her persistent urging of residents to use their cars less. It will inevitably see a decline in income for the council because people, including me, won’t subscribe any longer.The article itself is incorrect. The cost has increased by seven percent from last year. The service has been cut by 25 percent. In fact, as the collections are tied in with rubbish collection days, some residents won’t get a collection between mid November and mid March, pushing the reduction up towards 30 percent. Hardly value for money.The other irony is that garden waste collection is one of the few genuinely environmentally helpful things the greenwashing Ealing council does!

Simon Hayes ● 365d

Hillingdon also issue pass cards for the tip and they could visit twice a week without having to book.

Janice Evans ● 365d

My sister lived in Hillingdon they don't have bins but think it was 4 bags collected every week, they are a very good Council.

Janice Evans ● 365d

There seems to be an error in the article which causes unclarity. The Ealing Council website says the collections will pause from 1 December to 1 March. The article says 'from the beginning of September' which seems to be wrong.Because of the years of austerity, councils' funding from government has dropped dramatically and I presume this is another case of uncomfortable choices about reducing spending where they can. A number of councils across the UK have declared themselves effectively bankrupt of course. Meanwhile, lack of investment in public libraries, sweeping the streets, fixing potholes etc. Sad times.

Nicholas Rhodes ● 365d

Supposedly, Ealing (in the guise of Cllr. Costigan) benchmarked their service against other London councils.I wonder where, as I spent all of five minutes on Google to find that:Hillingdon - free 51 week collectionRichmond £82.00 26 collections per year or you can opt for 13 collections for £41.00Hounslow £65.00 (two week break at Christmas)Hammersmith Free (for up to five 'sturdy' sacks every fortnight).Brent £60.00 fortnightly collection no breakHarrow 69.00 fortnightly collection no breakTherefore any claim of 'benchmarking' or move to a three season service by other concils is clearly untrue, at least locally.

N V Brooks ● 365d

I think it’s terrible that we are paying full price for this garden service, but will now only be receiving a reduced service, bearing in mind that the garden waste is made into garden compost!! I will cancel my subscription, as this is not value for money.

Mary Devine ● 365d