Garden waste collections
How much is it to sign up to the service?
There is a £44 charge per green bin for period between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 (with a two week break over the Christmas and New year period).
There is a 10-day lead in time between subscription to the service and delivery of your green bin permit/s. We will only empty green bins displaying permits, so please subscribe to the service to get your green bin emptied.
Subscribe to the garden waste service
Is this charge compulsory?
No. The service will only be available to residents that register for the service. If you do not register and make the payment, your green bin will not be collected and there will be no charge to you. Therefore, if you do not have a garden or do not want to pay for the collections, you do not need to do anything.
When will the permit be delivered
Please allow at least 10 days to receive your permit once ordered.
Why are you charging for the collection of garden waste?
The collection of garden waste is a discretionary service, not a statutory service – i.e. one that the Council is not obliged to provide. We had the choice to charge for the service or possibly discontinue it completely. We felt that it would be fairer for residents to have the choice to pay for a service or not, rather than not having a service at all.
We are not allowed to charge for the collection of domestic waste (i.e. grey bin) under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. There are also limits to how much the council tax can be increased by, and it was felt it would be fairer to charge only those residents that use the service.
What should I do with my food waste?
Households will receive a weekly food waste collection service. See the food waste page for further details.
What can I put in my green bin?
- grass cuttings
- shrub/hedge cuttings
- plants, flowers, leaves, and prunings
- bedding from non-meat eating pets
- twigs, branches and small logs (max 10cm diameter)
Please do not place the following items in your green bin:
- food waste
- soil or turf
- stones or rubble
- knotweed or ragwort
Can I put the garden waste in my grey rubbish bin?
No. 95% of the waste in the grey bin is taken to an energy from waste facility which cannot accept garden waste. If there is garden waste in your grey bin, it will not be emptied.
The collection crews will be monitoring bins for hidden garden waste and a thorough check will be made if evidence shows previous contamination.
Can I pay monthly or pay for a one-off collection?
The charge is fixed for the 12-month period between 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 and thereafter. The charge must be paid in full, and there is no pro rata rate available.
Can I put additional bags at the side of the green bin?
No. The charge is per green bin, and only bins showing the official permits will be emptied. Residents can have as many bins as required.
If your bin is too heavy, we may not be able to collect it.
What if I lose or damage my bin?
The green bin will be replaced, and a replacement permit will be supplied.
What happens if I damage or lose my permit?
You can request a replacement permit. There will be a £5 charge for each replacement and your previous permit will be cancelled. You will be asked to provide evidence of the damaged permit.
What happens if I don’t receive my permit?
This can take up to 10 days once you have paid for your subscription. If you haven’t received it after this time, please call us, and we will look into the issue.
Can I share a bin with my neighbour(s)?
Yes. This will be a private arrangement between residents. The collection crews will only empty green bins displaying a valid permit from the household at which it is registered.
Will the garden waste collection be a carried out all-year round?
Yes, the emptying of green bins is carried out all year with the exception of a two week break over the Christmas period. There may be occasions due to exceptionally inclement weather etc. when the collections will be suspended.
Full details will be provided on the Council website if there are any interruptions to the service. No refunds will be given for unexpected disruptions to the service.
What if I move house?
If a resident moves within the District, their subscription can be transferred to their new address. You will need to contact the Council to arrange for a new permit to be issued. No refunds, in whole or in part, will be issued if a subscribing resident moves outside of Warwick District during the subscription period.
What if I wish to cancel my subscription?
There will be a cooling-off period of 14 days in which you can cancel your subscription, as long as you return your permit intact to us. After the cooling-off period, no refunds will be issued.
What if other residents use my bin?
You are responsible for keeping your green bin secure, to ensure other residents cannot put items into your bin.
What if my permit is stolen?
The permit will have the address printed on it, so it cannot be used at a different property. The collection crews will also have a full list of properties who have paid the subscription. There will be an admin fee of £5 for all replacement permits, you would need to contact us to arrange this.
What if my bin is missed?
From 1 August 2022, please present your green bin(s) at the boundary of your property by 6am on the scheduled collection day. If your bin is not emptied, please report this to us and we will return to empty it in line with our current arrangements.
In exceptionally inclement weather, the contents of the green bin may freeze and it may not be possible to empty it. In these cases, we will not return until the next scheduled collection day, however, arrangements can be made to collect additional waste on the next collection.
Will this encourage more fly-tipping?
We have conducted benchmarking with other councils who charge for the collection of garden waste. This has shown that there is not a significant increase in fly-tipping when charges are introduced.
Any fly-tipping that occurs will be dealt with as per our current arrangements.
Fly-tipping is a crime, any person found guilty of fly-tipping will be dealt with, in line with our Enforcement Policy.
How can I dispose of my green bin if I do not want to pay for the service?
There were free of charge collections of unwanted green bins in Warwick District in November 2022 and January 2023, these collections have now finished. Any collections of unwanted bins will now be subject to a charge of £16. Please email 123collections@warwickdc.gov.uk to arrange a collection.
Can I pay by direct debit?
No. Due to the administrative burden and the costs involved, this option is not currently available.
Are there any concessions for the garden waste service?
No, the price is the same for everyone.
Can I subscribe to the service if I move into the area, and how much will it cost?
You can subscribe to the service at any time throughout the year, but the subscription period and price is fixed.
We are a village hall/charity, do we still have to pay for garden waste collections?
Yes. All garden waste collections will be fully chargeable from 1 August 2022.
I have an assisted collection service, will it still continue?
Yes. If you are currently registered for the Assisted Collection Service, then this will still continue as part of the new garden waste service.
If I don’t sign up for the service, can I still have my real Christmas tree collected?
Yes. We will still collect real Christmas trees even if you have not subscribed to the service. Please contact us to make the arrangements.