Contact your Parish Council

Option

Advantages

Disadvantages

Recommendation

1: Charging for 2^nd replacement

Targets householders who misuse or do not look after their bins

Encourages residents to mark their bins to reduce the likelihood of them going missing or being stolen

Encourages residents to store bins in their gardens and not leave them out on the highway after collection

Impact on the council’s assets as replacement bins would be seen as the property of householder rather than Maidstone Borough Council

Not a significant number of households request more than one replacement bin

More likely to result in residents refusing to replace their bin and either continue to use damaged bins which could be dangerous or present their waste in sacks which could impact littering and HSE concerns

Difficult to administer and determine how bin was lost / damaged and whether contractor was responsible.

This option is not recommended as it would be very difficult to administer and the impact on the number of free bins provided is likely to be minimal

2: Charging for delivery and administration

Reduces unnecessary bin replacements i.e. dirty bins which are reported as damaged

Enables Maidstone to retain ownership of the bins

Lower cost for resident’s to bear

Encourages all residents to mark their bins with their property number

Encourages all residents to store their bins in their gardens and not leave them on the highway after collection

Charge passed on to all residents

Risk that residents will refuse to pay for delivery and will therefore continue to use damaged bin or present their waste in other receptacles

Limited returns

This option is easier to manage than option 1 however the charge would be applicable to all householders (with possible exceptions for garden bins).  For a borough-wide policy of charging for replacement bins, this option is recommended.

3: New developments / New occupiers

Ensures that all new properties are provided with the appropriate containers

Easy to administer

Discourages residents from taking their bins with them when they move

Expansion of existing charging mechanism already in place for 1100 litre bins

Warning mechanism for new occupiers available through property searches to ensure previous owner leaves bins at property

Developer could be encouraged to purchase non-compliant bins

Limited returns

For a more acceptable approach, which is more easily administered, this option is recommended.  It is an extension of the existing policy for new 1100 litre communal bins and enables residents moving into properties the opportunity to ensure that the bins are provided.