Fingal county councillors have agreed to pass a budget which includes the introduction of a €110 fixed annual charge for bin collections, the most expensive such charge in Dublin.
Councillors, including the two Socialist Party representatives, last night defeated two motions which recommended scrapping the fixed fee in favour of increasing the charge for presenting the general waste bin, due to remain at €8 in 2008.
Until now the €8 per lift charge was the only waste collection charge levied on householders by the council, however county manger David O'Connor said the fixed charge was necessary for the council to expand its brown and green bin services.
Until now brown bins, which can be used for food and garden waste, have been distributed to some houses on a pilot basis. The council intends to extend this service to all houses from next year and double the frequency of its green bin service, which accepts certain dry recyclables, to twice per month.
Mr O'Connor warned councillors that while they could debate the issue, whatever resolutions they might pass would have "no effect" on his decision. "I remain firm in my intention to introduce this new structure of charging."
The councillors proceeded to debate the issue for almost three hours and passed motions to lobby the Government to introduce tax relief at source for payment of waste charges instead of the current rebate system, and to give the plastic bag levies collected in Fingal back to Fingal. However, they defeated two Green Party motions to keep bin charges on a per lift basis.
The motions from David Healy were similar in intent. The first proposed that the council increase efficiency to save money on their refuse and recycling service and levy a charge on the black bin only, while the second proposed that the charge be levied on the black bin only on either a per lift or volume of waste basis.
The motions did receive support from a number of councillors from all parties, except the Socialist Party's Clare Daly and Ruth Coppinger, but the first was defeated by eight votes to 14 while the second was defeated by eight votes to 10.
Mr Healy said the council's green bin contract with Oxigen was costing double the going rate and that a fixed charge was not environmentally effective.
Ms Coppinger also proposed a motion to scrap the fixed charge but it was ruled out of order because she failed to identify a viable alternative for paying for the service.
Fingal now has a higher fixed charge than Dublin city, which plans to impose a fixed charge of about €91 next year, and South Dublin which has no fixed charge. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown's current charge is €80 and is unlikely to increase significantly. These local authorities also have per lift charges.
Meanwhile, discussion of a proposal to build a walkway on Portmarnock dunes has been deferred until the next council meeting.
