Chargeable garden waste collection service

Householders can recycle all of their cooked and uncooked food waste at no additional charge (i.e. a permit is not needed to recycle food waste).

Eligibility

The service applies to council tax rated domestic properties only. Only customers assigned to a Council brown bin collection route are eligible to apply to the Chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service. Property eligibility can be checked on the bin dates pages.

Apply for your 2023/24 Garden Waste Permit

Apply online for your 2023/24 Garden Waste Permit

Permits are valid from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 and cost £40.00 per bin, a maximum of 2 brown bins per property.

Please note permits can take up to 21 days to be delivered.  To make sure you receive your permit in time, please order before 1 March 2023.

Residents who are unable to pay online but wish to use a debit or credit card should call the Council's Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476 for assistance.

Note: As of 12 December 2022, you can no longer purchase a 2022/23 garden waste permit.  If you do not currently have a permit and need to dispose of garden waste, this can be taken to your local recycling centre or stored until you are able to purchase a permit.

Request a replacement 2023/2024 permit 

You can use our online form to request a replacement 2023/2024 permit. 

What can be recycled via the Garden Waste Collection Service?

Without a permit:

All cooked and uncooked food waste can still be recycled in the brown bin at no charge. This includes: dairy, eggs, meat and fish including bones, tea bags, coffee grounds, fruit, vegetables, bread, cakes, pastries, rice and pasta.

With a permit:

The Garden Waste Collection Service charge is for grass cuttings, small twigs and branches, leaves, cut flowers, houseplants, weeds, hedge clippings, sawdust, bark and hay. Recycle these in addition to cooked and uncooked food waste. 

For more information, view our New Household Waste & Recycling Service Guide (PDF) [1MB] .

What do I do with my garden waste if I do not buy a permit?

Householders can recycle garden waste at their local Recycling Centre free of charge. You can locate your nearest Recycling Centre using the 'find my nearest' search.

Another way to dispose of garden waste is to compost at home. If your garden suits composting, and you would like to try, we have lots of information on our composting pages to get you started.

More information

A list of  frequently asked questions (PDF) [348KB]  has been created to provide more information to specific queries. If you cannot find the information you are looking for, please contact the Council's Customer Service Centre on the details below.

Copies of the Garden Waste Collection Service  Terms & Conditions (PDF) [283KB]  and the Council's Bin Policy (PDF) [272KB]  can be viewed, saved or printed from this page.