Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

The introduction of a charge for brown bin collections across Falkirk has not been properly communicated, a Conservative councillor has claimed, after saying she had been inundated with complaints about the change.

The annual £25 charge to collect garden waste every four weeks was agreed by Falkirk councillors last December and the fee came into force at the start of April.

Residents who choose to pay to have their brown bin collected are sent a sticker that is attached to the bin, where council staff can see it.

But Upper Braes councillor, Claire Mackie-Brown, says the council’s communication with residents about the changes to the service has not been good enough.

Residents now have to pay £25 if they want their garden waste uplifted by Falkirk Council

She said: “Given the level of complaints and enquiries I received in relation to the new £25 uplift fee for the brown bin, it is clear that the council’s communication is currently not good enough. It’s not just in my area. All of the councillors in the Conservative group have been inundated with complaints about the lack of information.”

Councillor Mackie-Brown is concerned that elderly in particular were not informed of the charges being introduced.

She said: “The council focused solely on social media and the council’s website to communicate this change. This is not good enough as it completely disregards those that don’t have access to, or don’t know how to use the internet, completely isolating certain demographics.”

The Conservative group is now calling for physical leaflets to be sent to people’s houses and stickers placed on bins to explain the change.

A Falkirk Council spokesperson said: “A wide range of activity took place designed to reach as many households as possible across the Falkirk Council area and to alert households to the changes to the brown bin collection and the introduction of the new charge. The requirement for an annual permit was advertised throughout the council area on billboards, bus panels and on our recycling collection vehicles.

“In addition, the information was on the council’s website with circa 35,000 visits along with adverts and posts on our social media channels. The change was also widely reported in the local media and to date we have provided 26,000 permits to households across the area.”

Permits are available to buy throughout the year at www.falkirk.gov.uk.

Falkirk Council: Tory councillor claims to be 'inundated' with complaints over brown bin charge