The pilot garden waste collection scheme started by South Holland District Council has almost reached its break-even figure within two months of launching.
More than 2,000 households have subscribed to the initial two-year scheme, which offers a fortnightly kerbside emptying of a 25-litre wheelie bin for an annual fee of £49.
The council had surveyed residents before the launch, so council portfolio holder for place, Coun Roger Gambba-Jones, was pleased but not surprised to see the break-even figure close.
He said: “We were always optimistic that would be the case. The issue for us was to do it within a very limited budget.
“Initially, there was a bigger ambition but the council asked us to do it on a reduced budget and the team did fantastically well just to fit in with that.”
Many areas of South Holland are not covered at this stage but it is hoped that eventually the whole district will be covered.
“The tipping point will be understanding the next level of investment,” said Coun Gambba-Jones. “We have then got to say to the council that we need resources, which is a vehicle, more personnel, more wheelie bins and an advertising campaign.
“A district-wide scheme would enable us to say we’re open for business across South Holland.”
A decision on the scheme’s future will be taken by cabinet members in October.
Where the wheelie bins are across South Holland:
Spalding, Deeping St Nicolas 141
Crowland 186
Spalding, Cowbit 147
Holbeach 285
Spalding (NW) 193
Donington, Quadring, Gosberton 252
Spalding (E), Pinchbeck 203
Long Sutton 152
Spalding (SW), Weston, Moulton, Whaplode 243
Sutton Bridge, Long Sutton (E) 213
