Renfrewshire Council charges residents £52 for a garden waste permit, a figure that exceeds the Scottish average of £45.42 and is higher than several other local authorities, according to new research by commercial waste company Divert.
How Renfrewshire's Charge Stacks Up
The analysis reveals a wide range of permit costs across Scotland. In Renfrewshire, the fee is £52, compared to £50 in Glasgow and South Ayrshire, £47.50 in East Ayrshire, £46.49 in South Lanarkshire, £45 in Edinburgh, Falkirk and Midlothian, and £42 in North Lanarkshire. Some councils charge more: Stirling and West Dunbartonshire at £60, West Lothian at £55.75, Angus at £55, East Renfrewshire at £54.50, and Moray at £54.
Councillor Eddie Devine, who represents Paisley Southeast, has long opposed the charge. He called for its scrapping in late 2023 when it was £40, but failed to gain sufficient support. He said: “In my opinion, it’s a money-raising exercise. I know they will say they don’t have to do the garden waste service, because it’s not one of these things that councils have to do, but I still think the charge should be scrapped. It will go up next year as well, that’s already in the plans, and a lot of people won’t realise that. I think the figures from around Scotland show it doesn’t have to be as high as £52. If they feel this permit is something they have to do, the cost should be much lower.”
Reasons for Variation
Collection frequency and service duration differ between councils, affecting costs. John Verity, managing director of Divert, explained: “Garden waste charges vary across Scotland because each council decides how its service is funded and delivered. Stirling and West Dunbartonshire charge the most at £60 a year, while the Scottish average is £45.42. Local geography is likely to play a part, particularly in rural and less densely populated areas where refuse vehicles may travel further between households. Costs can also depend on how long the service runs, how frequently bins are collected and whether the council is trying to recover the full cost of vehicles, staffing, processing and administration through the subscription fee.”
In Renfrewshire, the permit cost will rise to £57 in 2027/28 after a series of increases were approved at the infrastructure, land and environment policy board last year.
Council Response
A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “In January 2025, councillors agreed a three-year pricing strategy for garden waste permits, with the 2026/27 permit set at £52. This helps us continue to provide a reliable and sustainable garden waste collection service despite ongoing increases in operating costs. Garden waste collection is a discretionary service and councils across Scotland set charges based on their own local costs and service arrangements. Collection and disposal costs will vary across the country depending on a number of local factors. Residents can continue to recycle garden waste free of charge at our household waste recycling centres or arrange a one-off collection through our special uplift service. Exemptions also remain available for households in receipt of full council tax reduction.”
