How do I sign up to the garden waste subscription service?
Subscription to the service is via our website.
You can sign up online. You will be directed to a form and asked to read and accept the service terms and conditions before inputting your address and payment details.
You will need to indicate how many subscriptions you want and how many garden waste wheelie bins you already have. If you currently use reusable sacks and do not have a garden waste wheelie bin, please indicate this on the form.
Will we collect your bin if you don't subscribe?
Please be aware that your garden waste bin remains the property of Central Bedfordshire Council and is intended to be used for garden waste only. While residents continue to subscribe, we continue to review the decision about collecting unwanted bins.
Can I set up a direct debit or pay by instalments?
Direct debit and monthly instalment options are not currently available for this service.
Subscriptions will not automatically renew at the end of the subscription period. We will notify customers of the charge and payment date prior to the start of the service each year.
I haven’t received a receipt; how do I know my payment has worked?
You will be sent an email to confirm receipt of payment. If you don’t have this, it is worth initially checking your ‘junk’ folder of your emails. It’s possible your receipt is there. If you still have any concerns, you can call 01234 975 867.
I haven’t received my sticker yet, what should I do?
Stickers can take up to 10 days to arrive. If after this time, you still haven’t received your customer information pack or you have lost your sticker(s), please call us on 01234 975 867. If you’ve recently subscribed to our garden waste service just before a Bank Holiday and haven’t received your permit yet, please don’t worry. If your permit or bin has not arrived, please continue to present your bin or reusable sacks as scheduled for collection. The permit is a visual aid for our collection crew, but rest assured, your subscription details are on a database accessible to our team.
If you have requested and paid for additional bins, you will receive the same number of stickers as bins. These will be sent separately and may not arrive at the same time.
What happens if I don’t subscribe to the service?
If you decide not to sign up to the garden waste subscription service, you do not need to contact us to tell us. It is an ‘opt-in’ service which means you only need to contact us if you do wish to sign up.
Can I put garden waste in my black bin?
You should not put garden waste in your black residual waste bin. The best option for managing garden waste is to recycle or compost it. This can still be achieved without a subscription by taking your garden waste to one of our Household Waste Recycling Centres (Tidy tips) or home composting.
Our recycling centres are open 7 days a week, 9am-5pm.
How can I stop other people putting their waste into my garden waste bin(s)?
You should store your bin within your property boundary until collection day in the same way that you would with your other containers.
I receive Council Tax Support, can I get a discount on my bin permit?
We do not offer concessions for the garden waste collection service. All permits are charged at the same rate of £55. The service is optional.
Why introduce a charge for garden waste collection?
Like many councils, Central Bedfordshire Council is under huge financial pressure due to substantial increases in costs, predominantly caused by inflation and increasing demand for both children’s services and adult social care. This has meant tough decisions were needed so that we can keep important services running.
When we consulted on potential budget savings, the most popular proposal was the introduction of a fee for those who still want the council to collect their garden waste.
Collecting garden waste is not a service we are legally required to provide and around 70 per cent of councils already charge for this service. You can read more about our budget on our website.
Will I get a reduction in my Council Tax if I don’t subscribe to the service?
No. Council Tax pays for a range of statutory services that we have to provide by law and some discretionary services the council chooses to provide. Due to rising costs of providing children’s services and adult social care, we have had to make changes to ensure we can continue to fund vital services like social care.
There is no legal requirement for the council to collect garden waste. This means that it is not required to be covered by your Council Tax payment and approximately 70% of councils charge for this service in order to continue to be able to offer collections of garden waste.