Council quotes 'ridiculous amount' to dispose of two fence panels in Milton Keynes

The woman contacted MK Council’s Bulky Waste Collection service, which is run separately from the general bin collections carried out by contractors Serco.

She wanted to know the price of collecting two old dismantled fence panels she had removed from her Bletchley garden.

But she couldn’t believe her eyes when she was told the cost – a staggering £140.

Bulky waste collection is a chargeable service from MK Council for items such as furniture, carpets, white goods, microwaves, TVs, and garden structures too big to fit in bin bags.

The cost is calculated using a points based system and this may include disposal costs where applicable.

Small items have lower points values, while larger items have higher points values, says the council.

The woman said she was horrified when she saw the price from the council. "Is it any wonder people fly tip?” she said. “How can it be this much?”

She posted the council’s official quote on social media and it prompted quite a reaction from the public.

One man said: “A typical fence panel weighs around 22kg. If you smash it in half then two pieces would weigh around 10kg each (lighter than many 65" TV's).

"Smash it again into quarters and each piece would weight approximately the same as a large bag of potatoes... £140 for disposal is ridiculous.

"In fact, why not smash the fence panels and stick them in your garden waste bin for free?

But another poster pointed out that the council may not be making much profit out of such charges. "If it’s a double crew they get to collect things that need one or two people. If it takes them half an hour to drive to a house, break up and collect the item, then dispose of it. Both still need paying. If it’s an hour, that’s two hours pay.

"The van needs fuel, maintenance, insurance, etc. Somewhere along the line you pay some overheads. It’s never just the cost of one person’s time.”

The Citizen asked MK Council to explain the price. We are awaiting a reply.