South Norfolk to pay composting charge for local communities

Environmentally-concerned villagers in South Norfolk are being told not to worry about a new government charge on community compost schemes - because the local council will pay it for them.

In a bid to encourage more local villages to set up their own composting schemes, South Norfolk Council has promised to pay the new fee - which comes into force this Friday (1 July) - rather than see them abandon the important project for financial reasons.

David Osborne, head of Environmental Services at South Norfolk, explained:

"Garden waste makes up an amazing 25 per cent of all the household rubbish which our dustcarts collect, and we want to get that out of landfill. The best option is composting at home or within the local community, so we are encouraging this in every way we can.

"There is already a thriving composting scheme going in Denton, and other villages - such as Mulbarton - are considering it. We don’t want anyone to be put off by the new charge. We are lobbying Parliament to reconsider this legislation, which could undermine many recycling opportunities, but we will pay the charges in the meantime - and if we fail to change their mind."

Liz Cargill, who co-ordinates the scheme in Denton, said:

"It’s a great encouragement to us to have the fee paid by the Council, as the recycling credits we receive for our composting do help the village, and to lose about a third of it in charges would certainly act as a disincentive.

"We’ve only had the scheme up and running for a year, but it’s going very well. The villagers are really pleased, as some were having to make a 14-mile round-trip every week to get rid of their green garden waste. I hope other communities will consider composting together; with a few volunteers, the collecting is easy. They would just need to find a site - perhaps the corner of a farmer’s field - and fill the necessary forms. Being the co-ordinator can be quite hard work, but I really enjoy it."

Any villages in South Norfolk who are interested in learning more about community composting can contact the Council for advice, support and a copy of its booklet, which includes a step-by-step guide and application form. Call Tony Privitera on 01508 533726.

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