Waste, recycling and bins · Impacts of Reform UK on local government

Across the Reform-led county councils, both weekly food-waste collection and any kerbside garden-waste charge are district functions: as upper-tier Waste Disposal Authorities these councils procure treatment and disposal capacity, while their constituent district collection authorities own the bins, the caddies and the fees.^[1]^[2]^[3] The unitary councils are the exception, being themselves the collection authority and so taking the food-waste and garden-waste decisions directly.^[4]^[5] On the Simpler Recycling food-waste duty the county records document extensive disposal-side preparation, but several district rollouts were slipping past the April 2026 deadline for operational reasons; on garden waste the only resident-facing charge decisions come from the unitaries, with one county instead passing a motion against such charges.^[6]^[7]^[8]

Key figures

Simpler Recycling: food-waste collection by the statutory deadline

None of these county councils runs the weekly food-waste collection itself; each acts as the Waste Disposal Authority, procuring the treatment and disposal capacity the new duty requires while districts run the kerbside service.^[9]^[10] That disposal-side preparation was substantial: Kent let a five-year countywide organic-waste contract timed to start alongside the district collections, Staffordshire procured a single county food-waste disposal framework expected to cut around 20,000 tonnes a year from energy recovery, and Lincolnshire, ineligible for New Burdens funding as a disposal authority, committed £9.6 million of its own to upgrade its waste facilities.^[9]^[10]^[6] The unitaries prepared their own service in the same way: North Northamptonshire funded a four-year caddy-and-container supply agreement partly from Extended Producer Responsibility money before its collections went live, and Nottinghamshire standardised caddy designs jointly with its seven districts.^[11]^[12] Where the collection service itself slipped past the deadline the causes were operational rather than political: districts all buying food-waste vehicles in the same window triggered a supply shortage, a fire at a caddy supplier plant delayed deliveries, and unresolved local government reorganisation curtailed medium-term waste planning.^[7]^[13]^[14] Two counties could not be judged on track or late from their own minutes at all: Lancashire reported its joint waste strategy still in development, and Leicestershire resolved only to receive a further food-waste rollout report in spring 2026, so neither county record confirms its districts positions.^[15]^[16] Kent is a partial gap on the same footing: as of its November 2025 briefing two of its boroughs had not yet started food-waste collection, but the county record sets no confirmed post-deadline date for them.^[17]

Garden-waste collection charges

For the two-tier counties the kerbside garden-waste charge is a district decision, and the county records show no move to introduce, increase or retain one: Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire and Staffordshire each name their districts as the authorities that set any such fee.^[3]^[18]^[19]^[2] North Northamptonshire, though a unitary, recorded only a four-year garden-waste disposal contract justified by the Environment Act 2021 ban on landfilling separately collected garden waste, with no resident-facing collection charge in the corpus.^[20] One county went the other way: Derbyshire, which runs no collection of its own, carried a full-council motion attacking district garden-waste charges as a bin tax and resolved to press for guaranteed free fortnightly collections through local government reorganisation.^[8] Warwickshires only garden-waste charge decision sits on the disposal side rather than the kerbside: as Waste Disposal Authority it raised its chargeable HWRC green-waste rate for 2026-27 by 6.95 per cent on the weighbridge charge and 12.35 per cent on the volume charge, separate from the district subscription fees its partnership recorded as falling at Stratford and Warwick but rising at Rugby.^[21]^[22] Durham defended its retained charge as an optional service outside council tax that compared favourably with other areas, while listing garden waste among the income-generation opportunities in its November 2025 savings proposals.^[23]^[24] At West Northamptonshire the fee drew a public objection and a Conservative budget amendment for a lower charge, which the administration declined to support.^[25]

References

1. Lancashire County Council operates as an upper-tier, two-tier authority: its own briefing to the Environment, Economic Growth and Transport Scrutiny Committee states the county and its 12 constituent district councils "have different responsibilities", so weekly food-waste collection under Simpler Recycling falls to the district councils, not the county council.

“Lancashire is a two-tier area – Lancashire County Council operates in the same area as 12 District Councils, but they have different responsibilities.” Minutes, 6 November 2025 ↗

2. Staffordshire County Council's published Cabinet business names 'waste collection authorities in Staffordshire' as the bodies that collect kerbside waste (including sweepings and gulley waste) under statutory obligations, distinct from the county's own role; no Cabinet or Council document in the corpus for the Reform-led period mentions a garden waste, green waste or brown bin collection charge, which is set by those district collection authorities rather than the county.

“Retender to contract treatment or disposal facilities for sweeping and gulley waste, collected by waste collection authorities in Staffordshire in line with statutory obligations as required by the EPA 1990.” Document, 17 September 2025 ↗

3. Kent County Council's published Cabinet and Growth, Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee minutes since May 2025 record no decision by Kent to introduce, increase or retain a garden-waste collection charge; garden waste is collected by Kent's district and borough councils rather than by the county council, which the November 2025 waste briefing to committee described only collectively with other kerbside materials.

“Collections would encompass food waste, paper, card plastic, metal, glass and garden waste.” Minutes, 4 November 2025 ↗

4. West Northamptonshire Council kept a garden waste charge in its 2026-27 budget, with the proposed charging reduced after consultation. At Cabinet on 16 February 2026 the budget presenter noted that consultation feedback had resulted in a reduction to green waste charging, and Cabinet approved the budget's fees and charges and recommended them to Full Council, removing only the proposed car parking charges for Daventry, Towcester and Brackley.

“proposed Fees and Charges as detailed in Appendix E, Subject to the removal of proposals relating to the introduction of car parking charges for Daventry, Towcester and Brackley” Minutes, 16 February 2026 ↗

“It was noted that consultation feedback had been listened to, resulting in a reduction to green waste charging.” Minutes, 16 February 2026 ↗

5. As of January 2026, North Northamptonshire had not yet begun weekly food-waste collections: the Executive approved a four-year contract to procure waste and recycling containers, including food-waste caddies, explicitly to have stock in place before the service went live, with the Executive Member for Assets, Waste and Environmental Services warning delay would disrupt implementation.

“Cllr Ken Harrington, Executive Member for Assets, Waste and Environmental Services noted that sufficient containers needed to be procured in advance of food waste collections going live to avoid delays at the point of implementation.” Minutes, 20 January 2026 ↗

6. As the Waste Disposal Authority, Lincolnshire County Council was not eligible for the government's New Burdens funding for Simpler Recycling but committed 9.6 million pounds of its own to waste infrastructure upgrades to meet its statutory duty to accept segregated food waste, and by April 2026 its waste facilities were confirmed to be accepting food waste.

“It was noted that waste facilities were now accepting food waste” Minutes, 23 April 2026 ↗

“The Waste Disposal Authority (LCC) was not eligible for this funding but had committed £9.6m towards waste infrastructure upgrades in order to meet the statutory requirement to facilitate disposal.” Minutes, 24 June 2025 ↗

7. Despite the county's own disposal readiness, county scrutiny recorded in February 2026 that three of Lincolnshire's district waste collection authorities would not meet the 2026 food waste collection rollout target, with officers confirming those districts would only join in October-November 2026, after the deadline; officers attributed the earlier delay to a vehicle procurement shortage created by districts all buying at once.

“Members queried if all Lincolnshire District Councils were on track to meet the 2026 food waste collection rollout target; officers explained three districts would be delayed due to lacking the necessary vehicles.” Minutes, 27 March 2026 ↗

“Officers confirmed it would be in the period of October to November of 2026.” Minutes, 27 March 2026 ↗

“the delays were caused by district councils attempting to procure food waste vehicles in a similar time frame, triggering a shortage and delaying implementation” Minutes, 16 January 2026 ↗

8. Derbyshire County Council is not a waste collection authority and runs no garden waste collection of its own, but on 10 December 2025 its Full Council carried a motion opposing district and borough garden waste charges. The motion, proposed by Councillor Major and framed as a Derbyshire Conservatives position, described the introduction of or sharp increases in charges for garden waste collection as effectively a 'bin tax', and the council resolved to promote a minimum standard for district and borough councils during local government reorganisation guaranteeing free fortnightly garden waste collections.

“These include the introduction, or sharp increases, in charges for garden waste collection – effectively a “bin tax” that punishes residents who want to do the right thing for the environment.” Minutes, 10 December 2025 ↗

“A vote was taken on the motion, which was declared WON and CARRIED” Minutes, 10 December 2025 ↗

“3) Free fortnightly garden waste collections” Minutes, 10 December 2025 ↗

9. In July 2025 Kent County Council, as waste disposal authority, approved a five-year countywide organic waste contract for receiving and processing food and green waste, timed to start on 1 April 2026 alongside the new district-level Simpler Recycling food-waste collections; the committee report framed it as meeting KCC's statutory duty as waste disposal authority.

“Mr Wimble presented the proposed procurement for the receipt and processing of organic waste across the entire county. The decision represented a significant step in ensuring that the council continued to meet statutory obligations as a waste disposal authority, while also supporting broader environmental objectives.” Minutes, 17 July 2025 ↗

“The new contract was scheduled to commence in April 2026 and would consolidate existing arrangements into a county-wide solution and was expected to deliver opportunities for innovation, improved efficiency, and greater value for money.” Minutes, 17 July 2025 ↗

10. On 18 June 2025 Cabinet approved procurement of a new food waste disposal framework covering the whole of Staffordshire, brought forward because of new statutory requirements from central government (the Simpler Recycling duty to collect food waste). Cabinet Member Andrew Mynors said the single contract would let the council comply with national regulations and cut around 20,000 tonnes a year from energy recovery, and Cabinet delegated authority to execute the contract once suppliers were appointed.

“Reasons for the Decision – To consider proposals to procure a new disposal framework for food waste following the introduction of new statutory requirements by the Government.” Minutes, 18 June 2025 ↗

“This framework for food waste disposal will develop one contract to cover the whole of Staffordshire. This means we can comply with national regulations, and also save money in the long-run on administration and contract management costs, and provide value for money to our residents.” Minutes, 18 June 2025 ↗

“Decision – (a) That, following the procurement processes, the successful suppliers be appointed to the Framework Agreements.” Minutes, 18 June 2025 ↗

11. The Executive funded the container procurement, in part, through Extended Producer Responsibility money passed on by DEFRA, which the council said it was required to reinvest in waste infrastructure, and resolved a four-year supply agreement to secure the rollout.

“Funding was being received from DEFRA through the UK-wide Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, which transferred the full cost of dealing with household packaging waste back to producers and required local authorities to reinvest the funds into waste infrastructure.” Minutes, 20 January 2026 ↗

12. Nottinghamshire County Council's Place Select Committee heard in December 2025 that food-waste caddy designs were being standardised jointly with the seven district and borough councils under the Government's collection and packaging reforms, but that trials of different food-waste collection methods would not begin until September 2026.

“There would be trials in place from September 2026 aimed to assess how different methods of collecting food waste worked in practice.” Document, 25 March 2026 ↗

“The designs and colours of the kitchen and street cabbies for food waste would be standardised across the seven districts and boroughs due to the upcoming changes in the structure of local government in Nottinghamshire created by LGR.” Document, 25 March 2026 ↗

13. North Warwickshire Borough Council's rollout was also disrupted: the March 2026 update records delivery delays caused by a fire at the caddy supplier's plant, with only partial deliveries expected to enable an early rollout.

“delivery delays had arisen due to a fire at the caddy supplier’s plant; partial deliveries were now expected to enable early rollout and inform volume estimates ahead of full implementation.” Minutes, 18 March 2026 ↗

14. Officers told the committee that Local Government Reorganisation had curtailed the county's medium-term waste planning and added further complexity to ongoing waste reforms, including uncertainty over which future authority would run recycling and disposal facilities.

“LGR added another level of complexity to already ongoing waste reforms, particularly on account of proposals to split the county.” Document, 25 March 2026 ↗

“Members were asked to note that the implementation of LGR had curtailed medium term planning” Document, 25 March 2026 ↗

15. In December 2025 Lancashire's Environment, Economic Growth and Transport Scrutiny Committee was told that a joint waste strategy across the Lancashire Waste Partnership, the vehicle through which the county coordinates with its collection districts, was still being developed and that unresolved local government reorganisation was making it difficult to plan.

“On the impact of Local Government Reorganisation on the waste service, it was recognised that there would be impacts but it was difficult at this moment in time to plan for reorganisation when national government had yet to finalise how many unitary authorities would be established in Lancashire. A new joint local waste strategy was currently in development with the Lancashire Waste Partnership.” Minutes, 18 December 2025 ↗

16. Leicestershire County Council's Growth, Highways and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee reviewed the government's Collection and Packaging Reforms in November 2025 and noted that district councils, which run waste collection, had received New Burdens Funding for public-awareness campaigns on the food-waste changes; the committee resolved to receive a further report on the introduction of food-waste collections in Spring 2026 rather than confirm the districts are on track for the rollout.

“Members were assured that the Committee would receive a future report in Spring 2026 on food waste collections linked to scheme roll out, which would also cover anaerobic digestion systems.” Minutes, 6 November 2025 ↗

“That a report on the introduction of Food Waste Collections be presented to the Committee in Spring 2026.” Minutes, 6 November 2025 ↗

“It was noted that district councils who were responsible for waste collection had received New Burdens Funding from the Government which could help support media campaigns around the changes.” Minutes, 6 November 2025 ↗

17. As of the November 2025 waste briefing, two of Kent's boroughs, Dartford and Sevenoaks, had not yet started collecting food waste, with officers estimating an £820,000 saving once they began; the same briefing recorded that national legislation required all boroughs to collect food waste from residents from 31 March.

“Highlighted the legislation changes on the 31 st of March that Boroughs would collect recyclable materials from all residents within their areas.” Minutes, 4 November 2025 ↗

“Estimates suggested that a saving of £820,000 could be achieved once Dartford and Sevenoaks Borough Councils began collecting food waste.” Minutes, 4 November 2025 ↗

“Collections would encompass food waste, paper, card plastic, metal, glass and garden waste.” Minutes, 4 November 2025 ↗

18. Lancashire County Council's published minutes since it came under Reform UK majority control record no introduction, increase or retention of a garden-waste collection charge; garden and food waste kerbside collection is set by the county's constituent district councils, which, per the council's own LGR briefing, hold different responsibilities from the county council.

“Lancashire is a two-tier area – Lancashire County Council operates in the same area as 12 District Councils, but they have different responsibilities.” Minutes, 6 November 2025 ↗

19. Lincolnshire County Council's own committee and Waste Partnership records contain no decision to introduce, increase, or retain a garden-waste collection charge; garden waste collection is a district (waste collection authority) function, and the only garden-waste change recorded in this council's minutes is Boston Borough Council's trial of increased collection frequency, not a charge.

“It was noted that Boston Borough Council was due to begin a trial increasing their garden waste collections over 12 months which may see an increase in tonnage for the forthcoming year.” Minutes, 19 February 2026 ↗

20. The only garden-waste decision in the published record during the Reform-led period is the Executive's March 2026 approval to procure a new four-year garden-waste disposal contract (from June 2027), justified by the Environment Act 2021 (Simpler Recycling) ban on landfilling separately collected garden waste; this is a disposal contract, not a resident-facing charge, and no fee, subscription or price for the garden-waste collection service is recorded anywhere in the corpus for this council.

“That the Executive: a) Approved the recommendation to procure and subsequently enter a four- year contract with a suitably qualified provider;” Minutes, 17 March 2026 ↗

21. Warwickshire County Council, as Waste Disposal Authority, approved an increase to its chargeable HWRC "Green Waste" disposal rate for 2026/27 (a charge on commercial/excess garden waste brought to household waste recycling centres, distinct from district kerbside garden-waste collection subscriptions): a 6.95% rise on the weighbridge-based charge and a 12.35% rise on the volume-based charge, approved by the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Heritage and Culture on 30 January 2026.

“For 2026/27 it is proposed to increase the charge for Green Waste by 6.95% to reflect contract price increases” Decisions, 30 January 2026 ↗

“Green Waste prices will increase by 12.35% to reflect new contract prices for the collection and treatment of green waste” Minutes, 30 January 2026 ↗

22. The Warwickshire Waste Partnership's own minutes record that kerbside garden-waste collection charging in the county is set by the district and borough councils, not by Warwickshire County Council: Stratford District Council introduced its garden-waste charge in April 2021, and by September 2025 subscription volumes were reported as falling at Stratford (down 1.79%) and Warwick (down 3.47%) but rising at Rugby (25,000 sold).

“Stratford District Council introduced garden waste charging from April 2021 and had previously seen growth year on year. However, compared to the same time last year, garden waste subscriptions were down 1.79%. Warwick District Council were down by 3.47%, noting that sales were on a downwards trend. Rugby Borough Council saw an increase in garden waste subscriptions with 25,000 sold.” Minutes, 3 September 2025 ↗

23. Durham County Council retained its charge for garden waste collection, and residents will face an increase in the charge from 2026. At the Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 24 November 2025, officers explained that garden waste collection is an optional service not included in Council Tax charges, and that Durham's charge compared favourably with other areas.

“garden waste collection was an optional service and therefore it was not included in Council Tax charges” Minutes, 24 November 2025 ↗

“Durham’s charge for garden waste collection compared favourably with other areas” Minutes, 24 November 2025 ↗

“residents will face an increase in the charge for the garden waste collection from 2026” Minutes, 24 November 2025 ↗

24. Garden waste is listed among the income-generation opportunities in the council's November 2025 budget savings proposals. The Cabinet record of executive decisions of 19 November 2025 set out £10.057 million of new savings proposals, including £2.971 million over four years from income generation, with income to be maximised in areas including garden waste, ahead of a phase 2 budget consultation running from 21 November 2025 to 4 January 2026.

“Maximising income opportunities in areas such as car parking, bus fares, garden waste, highways lane rental and business rentals” Decisions, 19 November 2025 ↗

“Income generation, reducing contributions and removing grants to Town & Parish Councils -£2.971 million over the four years” Decisions, 19 November 2025 ↗

25. At Full Council on 26 February 2026, a public speaker objected to proposed increases in council tax, garden waste charges and parking-related charges in the final 2026-27 budget, and a Conservative budget amendment that included a lower garden waste charge went to a recorded vote after the administration stated it would not support it.

“It also proposed three hours of free parking at the Mayorhold car park, protection of free parking for Blue Badge holders, and a lower garden waste charge.” Minutes, 26 February 2026 ↗

“The administration stated it would not support the amendment” Minutes, 26 February 2026 ↗

“He also raised objections to proposed increases in council tax, garden waste charges and parking-related charges, stating that these measures would place additional financial pressure on” Minutes, 26 February 2026 ↗