Winners and losers amongst Scottish households for kerbside collections

The cost and frequency of the garden waste collection service varies across Scotland.
Gardens will need some TLC in the autumn. Only six local authorities in Scotland charge residents for the kerbside garden waste collection service.Gardens will need some TLC in the autumn. Only six local authorities in Scotland charge residents for the kerbside garden waste collection service.
Gardens will need some TLC in the autumn. Only six local authorities in Scotland charge residents for the kerbside garden waste collection service.

Of the 32 council areas, six do not offer a kerbside service and only six apply a charge, according to a study by the BBC’s Shared Data Unit.

The average charge of the six local authorities is £32 but the annual fee varies. Highland is the most expensive on £40 followed by Moray of £36 and Midlothian on £35.

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The other three councils to charge for the kerbside collection are Perth and Kinross, £30; Angus, £28; and City of Edinburgh,£25.

The six which do not offer a regular garden waste service are Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, Orkney Islands, Scottish Borders, and Shetland Islands.

The frequency of collections varies across the country with most offering a fortnightly service (18).

Four collect every four weeks, two collect fortnightly from March to December but monthly December to February; East Renfrewshire collects on a weekly basis while Clackmannanshire collects every three weeks.

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Those with gardens in Scotland fare better than some of their green-fingered neighbours in England where the most expensive fortnightly charge is £96. Only 23 per cent of English councils provide a regular service for free.

In Northern Ireland, there is no charge for the service but households collect all food and garden waste in the same bin.

In Wales, 20 out of 22 councils charge with the average fee £34.