LAUNCHED just five weeks ago, a petition demanding the reinstatement of garden waste collections in the Borders has already attracted around 7,500 signatures.

It is due to be presented by its sponsor Andrew Farquhar at Scottish Borders Council’s Newtown headquarters today (Friday).

The council has indicated that its Petitions Committee will consider the document and take evidence before Christmas. Mr Farquhar, a retired police chief and former Hawick councillor, said this week that the rush to sign the petition had been accelerated by recent local newspaper reports.

“The public response in such a short space of time has been overwhelming and spontaneous and has certainly gained momentum as more revelations about the decision have come to light,” said Mr Farquhar.

“Had the petition been properly resourced over a longer period, the response would have been even greater, although I’m very happy with the level of support.

“It will, I hope, convey the strength of public opinion to the Petitions Committee.

“The reponse from Jedburgh, Peebles and Innerleithen has been particularly heartening.” The decision to abandon the green bin kerbside uplifts for 38,000 urban households in the region was taken by councillors in December.

A Conservative opposition bid to delay withdrawal pending the outcome of an independent review by the Scottish Government agency Zero Waste Scotland ((ZWS), was rejected in February.

At the time, councillors were advised by officers that the non-statutory service was no longer financially sustainable, because SBC would be legally obliged, from next summer, to start operating food waste collections.

The annual cost of continuing the green bin collections – and introducing the new food waste uplifts – was put at around £600,000.

It has since been acknowledged that the decision means that 5% less waste is now being recycled and that SBC is facing increased Landfill Tax bills because more garden refuse is being deposited in general waste bins.

It has also emerged that a bid last year to ZWS for funding to cover the start-up costs of the food waste collections was not submitted on time and SBC received nothing – in contrast to neighbouring Dumfries and Galloway which was awarded £1.6million.

“The council’s carbon footprint has been expanded at a stroke,” said Mr Farquhar. “For instance in Kelso it now takes 240 car journeys to convey the garden waste previously collected by just three refuse vehicles.

“And, of course, there is now ample evidence that fly tipping has increased dramatically since the collections were stopped.”