Stockton Council brown bins refund question at meeting

Leading councillors took questions from members of the public about bins, recycling and waste collection at the latest full Stockton Council meeting last night (Wednesday, July 23). One asked about putting garden waste in the green bin for non-recycled domestic waste, rather than the new brown bins for garden waste, which cost householders £40 a year.

Stephen Fryer asked: “Why have Stockton Borough Council not been open and transparent with residents, hiding the fact that we can put garden waste in the green bin?” He said the council’s website suggested home composting or taking garden waste to the Haverton Hill Household Recycling Centre for householders who did not sign up to the garden waste service.

Councillor Nigel Cooke, the council’s cabinet member for environment, leisure and culture, replied: “Stockton Council continues to promote recycling and to follow national government guidance on waste and recycling services. We do not say that people cannot put their garden waste in their residual waste bin, but – and I’m proud to do this – we do discourage them from doing so.

“We want to promote recycling and want as many people as are able to do that. If residents do put their garden waste in the green [non-recycling] bin, it adds to the weight and cost of waste that is incinerated, ultimately costing local people more and releasing more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.

“It’s great to see so many of our residents signing up for the new garden waste collection service. I think it shows that people do want to help us to recycle more, save money and do their bit for the environment.”

Mr Fryer said his question had been “ignored”, saying: “The council have not said that you can put your garden waste in the green bin. I’m all for recycling, I’m all for promoting that, but you haven’t been transparent.”

He argued people had the legal right to a refund if they were “misled” about a service and the council had kept important information “hidden or obscured”. He asked: “Will Stockton Borough Council refund everybody who’s paid the £40 fee for the brown bin service who feels they were mis-sold, and if not, why are Stockton [[Boro]]ugh Council above the law?”

Cllr Cooke answered: “We do not say that people cannot their garden waste in their residual bin, but we’ll continue to discourage it. The brown bin service is a subscription service which people choose or choose not to subscribe to.”

He had said at May’s full council meeting that 20,500 brown wheelie-bins had been ordered for the new garden waste collections. The service now carries a £40 annual subscription, from which the council had received about £800,000, beyond predicted amounts.

From April 2026, to follow new laws, food waste and recycling will be collected weekly. Indoor and outdoor caddies for food waste, and a 1kg weighted blue bag for plastics, cans and cartons, will be provided to households, which will also keep their white bags for paper and card and blue boxes for glass and batteries.

Julie Dolan asked about the cost of delivering new bins and containers to 90,000 households, and bin wagons. She said: “What is the total cost of this change and how will it be funded?”

Cllr Cooke referred to proposals agreed by cabinet in October 2024. At that time, the green waste service was predicted to raise £600,000 in its first year, £1.2m in following years, as the council agreed to borrow £1m to buy 40,000 bins. The government was supposed to fund the costs of food waste collection and disposal, with an estimated £150,000 upfront then £900,000 a year.

According to the October 2024 report, new food and recycling containers were estimated to cost £1.2m, plus the lease of 22 recycling vehicles and £2.5m for a new waste transfer station. In total, the council was to borrow £3.3m to meet one-off costs before April 2026, but the new measures and government funding were estimated to save £2.8m a year from 2026.

Cllr Cooke said: “These forecast a reduction in the budget envelope of circa £500,000 in the year 2025-6 and a reduction of circa £2.8m in the year 2026-7. The performance against these budgets will be monitored in the usual way.”

Ms Dolan asked further about the brown bins, the cost of new bin wagons and staff: “How does the cost compare against the £800,000 revenue received?” Cllr Cooke replied: “The council were already delivering a green waste collection and as such, there aren’t additional staff and vehicle costs. At present the council has spent approximately £475,000 on new garden waste bins.”