How much does the service cost?
The cost per year is £57.50 for one garden waste bin and £30 per additional bin (up to a maximum of 3 additional bins). The payment will be valid until 31 March 2025.
You can sign up to receive the service at any point during the year. The annual subscription runs from 1 April until 31 March each year. If you sign up part way through the year you will be charged for the full year. The subscription will need renewing before the next April for the service to continue.
Subscribe OnlineOur policy currently applies a fixed annual fee for the green waste collection service, which helps cover the costs of providing this service throughout the year. This structure allows us to manage the service efficiently and maintain a high standard for all participants.
The fixed annual fee for the green waste collection service is applied for several reasons:
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Operational Efficiency: A fixed annual fee helps streamline our operations, allowing us to plan and allocate resources effectively throughout the year. This ensures that we can maintain a consistent and reliable service for all residents.
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Cost Management: The fixed fee structure helps cover the overall costs of providing the service, including collection and administration of the service. It allows us to manage expenses more predictably and avoid frequent adjustments that could arise from a variable fee system.
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Simplified Billing: An annual fee simplifies the billing process for both the council and residents. It reduces administrative overhead and potential confusion that might arise from prorated or variable billing systems.
How quickly after I pay can I expect the service to start?
It takes approximately 2 weeks for us to process your subscription, add you to our systems/routes and send out your subscription sticker. The collection vehicles have ‘in-cab’ technology to see which households have subscribed to the service.
If you have ordered new or additional bin(s) as part of your subscription, stickers for these bins will be sent to you after your bins have been delivered. Please note it may take up to 10 working days for these bin(s) to be delivered.
A new sticker will be issued each year upon successful payment of the subscription. If you subscribe to more than one bin, you will receive a sticker for each bin.
If I don't have a garden bin at my property, how long will it take to be delivered once payment has been received?
Your new bin will be delivered within 10 workings days. Please be aware that we refurbish and reuse old bins where we can, so you may not be issued with a new bin.
Why is the cost of the second bin lower compared to the first?
The cost of the service covers the staff, vehicles, and fuel to cover the district. Therefore there is a much-reduced cost for additional bins as the staff and vehicles will already be providing a collection for the first bin. The charging for a second (and subsequent) bins is being considered as a way to potentially offer subsidised bins to those in greatest need.
Can I have more than one garden bin?
Yes, you can have up to a maximum of 4 garden bins per property. However, please be aware that you will need to pay an annual subscription for each bin to be collected.
Can I have a slimline garden bin?
Yes. You can specify the size of garden bin when you subscribe. The cost of the subscription remains the same for both bin sizes as the subscription is for the emptying of bin.
When will the payment be deducted from my bank account if I subscribe to the service?
If you choose to subscribe to the service using the Direct Debit option, you will have the first annual payment taken within five working days of submitting the form.
Card payments will be taken immediately. In both cases you will receive an email confirming the payment details.
Will I get a refund if I decide not to use the service for a period of time or want to stop part way through the year?
No, we are unable to refund any payments for this service.
Can I share a bin with my neighbour? If so, how will this be managed?
Yes, you can make a personal arrangement with a neighbour to share the cost of a garden bin.
If you share your garden waste bin with a neighbour, the householder which pays the annual charge will have overall responsibility for the bin as a bin can only be allocated to one address.
It would be the responsibility of the named householder if the bin is contaminated, misused, or needs replacing.
How will the collection crews know I have paid for a collection each year?
When we receive your payment, we will send you a unique addressed sticker to put on the rear of your garden bin. A new sticker will be issued each year upon payment of the subscription. If you subscribe to more than one bin, you will receive a sticker for each bin.
As the bins belong to HDC, what measures will be in place to stop neighbours putting garden waste in someone else's bin?
As with the current system, there is no ‘policing’ of who puts waste in which bins and we do not have the resource to manage this.
However, there are a few things you can do to discourage this from happening:
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Only put out your bin when it is full. This will make it less likely that someone will see it as an opportunity to dispose of their waste.
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Put a sign on your bin that says, "Not for other people's waste."
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Put your bin out as late as possible on the day before collection. This will make it less likely that someone will have a chance to put their waste in your bin before the collectors arrive.
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Talk to your neighbours. If you know who is putting their waste in your bin, you can politely ask them to stop. If you don't know who it is, you can put up a note asking people to respect your property and use their own bins.
Can I buy my own garden bin instead of the HDC ones?
No, we will not empty garden bins that do not meet our specification (including make, model
and logos), so cannot offer the service using other bins.
What should I do if my garden waste collection is missed?
We will only return for missed collections if:
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the bin was placed out before 6.30am on the day of collection
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the right collection point was used
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in the case of assisted collections there was access to get the bin, for example, the gate was unlocked
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the sticker indicating the bin has been paid for is clearly displayed on the rear of the bin, under the handle
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a rejected hanger has not been put on the bin
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a crew report has not been received regarding the bin, for example heavy, excessive waste
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the missed bin has been reported within 3 days of your normal day of collection.
We will not give refunds for missed collections. Report a missed collection to us and we will arrange recollection if the circumstances above have been complied with.
You can report a missed bin online or call us on 01480 388584.
Will you replace lost, stolen or damaged garden waste bins?
You are responsible for the security of the wheeled garden waste bin. If your bin is lost, stolen, or damaged you can request a replacement, however a delivery fee will apply