Big rise in rubbish levy

GREATER Manchester Waste Disposal Authority is increasing its charges by 14.5 per cent — adding 2.6 per cent to council tax bills.

The authority, which recycles or disposes of rubbish for over a million homes, has set its levy for 2013-14 at £166.1 million.

The rise the following year will be 2.98 per cent - but from 2015-16 and for the next 20 years, the rise will be around 70 per cent of inflation.

The authority says the rise is necessary to fund completion of a £631 million investment in new waste and recycling facilities across the county region, reducing our reliance on landfill.