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Garden waste collections will change from March 2024


Next year, Braintree District Council will be introducing a new opt-in subscription service to collect garden waste across the district.

Residents can now register their expression of interest to join the new service.

Collections will be every fortnight throughout the year apart from the week before and the week after Christmas, compared to the current service which is suspended for 3 months over the winter period.

The subscription fee from 4 March up to and including 31 March 2025 (13 Months) is £55 however if residents sign up by 30 November 2023 they can benefit from a 50% early bird discount, bringing the cost down to just £27.50 which equates to around £1 per collection in the first year. Additional bins are available for an extra charge.

Why is the council introducing an opt-in chargeable service?

The collection of garden waste is a discretionary service for which local authorities can make a charge. In the current economic climate and with council budgets under significant pressure, the cost of the current service at £683k is no longer affordable or sustainable.

The existing service is also disproportionate as it is funded by Council taxpayers irrespective of whether or not they use the service. Introducing a charge means that only those who use the service pay for it.

When can residents sign up for the 50% early bird discount?

We will let residents know when the payment system goes live in a future newsletter, and they can keep an eye on the council’s social media.

When will the new service start?

The new service will start week commencing 4 March 2024 and in the first year the subscription will cover a 13-month period until end March 2025. Thereafter each subscription year will cover a 12-month period from April to March.

How will it work?

In the first year, sticker will be issued to residents who have registered and paid for the new service. Crews will also have handheld devices to check that the property has registered. Bins not displaying the sticker will not be emptied.

What about properties without bins?

For properties that do not have wheeled bins residents can use special bio-degradable sacks purchased from Braintree District Council. Please note that this service is only available to households not on wheeled bin collections. The price will be £8 per roll of 20 sacks including delivery and collection, or £4 (max 4 rolls) if you sign up for the early bird discount. The sacks have an expected shelf life of 12 months.

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