Black bag amendment suits those who throw out least

The waste charges ordinance is to be discussed by the States next week, ready for the introduction of charges in the new year.

But Deputies Laurie and Lester Queripel have submitted an amendment looking to reduce or even scrap the standing charge, in favour of a higher bag charge.

‘The main intention of the amendment is to give the Assembly one last opportunity to decide on how the waste charges to households will be apportioned,’ Deputy Lester Queripel said.

‘The amendment is putting forward two options that would result in the vast majority of households paying less than they would if the charges as they currently stand aren’t amended.’

Currently it is proposed that each black bag cost £2.50 and there be a standing charge of £85 for every household.

The amendment suggests that islanders be charged £3.90 per bag, with no standing charge. If this fails, the amendment proposes the alternative of a £3.20 bag charge, with a £45 standing charge.

The no standing charge option would be the cheapest for islanders who put out 60 bags a year or fewer. That is equivalent to just over two black sacks a fortnight.

For islanders putting out just one black sack a fortnight it would cost £101 for the no standing charge option, compared with £150 under the current proposal.

The current proposal would be the most expensive of the three for islanders putting out 57 bags or fewer a year. It would only become the cheapest option for islanders who put out more than 61 bags a year.

Deputy Lester Queripel said the fewer bags islanders put out, the bigger the saving would be.

‘The two charging options that the amendment is putting forward strengthen the underlying principles of the strategy, putting far greater emphasis on the “user pays” approach, while also putting households completely or more firmly, in control of how much it costs them to dispose of their waste,’ he said.

The charges were debated in April and passed by 30 votes to seven. Deputy Lester Queripel said the States were now being asked to approve the legislation.

‘So the reality is it’s a second reading and provides the Assembly with the opportunity to review their decision,’ he said.

The ordinance is being brought by the States’ Trading Supervisory Board.

Its president, Deputy Peter Ferbrache, has said that debating the charges again now was unnecessary and premature, as they were set to be reviewed next year, once the new system had had a chance to bed in.

‘Naturally, we disagree with his view that the amendment is unnecessary,’ Deputy Lester Queripel said.

‘The amendment is necessary in our view because a year is a long time for islanders who will struggle to pay the charges as they currently stand.

‘Also we have to bear in mind there are islanders who have said they will refuse to pay the fixed charge, on the principle that the system will not be based on the “user pays” approach, despite it being promoted as such, and therefore will face prosecution.’