Perth and Kinross Council tenants face 267 per cent rise in garden maintenance fees

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Council tenants will be hit with a whopping 267 per cent increase in garden maintenance fees for 2025/26.The £330.20 rise in the annual Garden Maintenance Scheme fee from April was narrowly voted through by councillors this week.The increase - opposed by Conservative and Independent councillors on the Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee - was approved as part of the financial plan for Perth and Kinross Council's Housing Revenue Account (HRA).A report - put before councillors at the meeting on Wednesday, January 22 - revealed the cost of running the Garden Maintenance Scheme had "increased significantly".

Officers recommended the annual fee increase from £123.76 to £453.96 and for the introduction of an additional £46.80 annual charge for hedge cutting.Officers told councillors "all current tenants receiving this service have been advised of the proposed increase in charges, along with information on the support available to them".It is also understood the scheme will be made available to all tenants rather than just the more vulnerable tenants.Convener Tom McEwan said: "One advantage of this new service is that it won't be restricted - because it's no longer subsidised - it will be open to all 8000 tenants within our HRA, they will have access to this service; it won't just be restricted to the over 65s and those on other benefits."Moving the plan for approval, the Blairgowrie and Glens SNP councillor said: "For several years our Garden Maintenance Scheme has been subsidised by the council.

I think this has been at a time when our other demands and pressures were less than they now are."I think the pressures on our HRA to subsidise a non-statutory service has gone.