New Garden Waste Subscription Scheme launches in York

City of York Council has launched a new Garden Waste Subscription Scheme, which will introduce a charge for garden waste collections from Monday 5 August 2024.

The easiest way to sign up for the Garden Waste Subscription Scheme is to complete an online form at www.york.gov.uk/GardenWaste

Support is available for anyone who is not able to apply this way by calling 01904 551 551.

If anyone doesn’t want to subscribe to the Garden Waste Subscription Scheme, then the council will not collect their garden waste bin from 5 August onwards.

The garden waste service operates for 40 weeks per year and runs from early March until early December each year. The charge for the year is £46.50, but as the council is introducing the charge part way through the year, it will be charged on a pro-rata basis and the fee for 2024 is £21.00.

A 50 per cent discount on the charge is available for those residents in receipt of Council Tax Support. This will also be charged on a pro-rata basis and the fee for 2024 is £10.50

Please note there will be no change to kerbside household waste collections (black wheeled bins) or kerbside recycling collections (recycling boxes) as part of this change. Garden waste collection days will remain the same.

If anyone has an assisted collection then this arrangement will automatically transfer if they subscribe for garden waste collections, so there is no need to contact the council.

The collection of garden waste is not a statutory service under the ‘Controlled Waste Regulations 2012’, therefore local councils do not have to provide a garden waste collection and the service is not directly included in Council Tax bills.

Over 70 per cent of local authorities in the country already charge for garden waste collections, including North Yorkshire Council. Introducing a charge for garden waste collections will help to protect other key local services.

All 66,000 properties which are eligible for a kerbside collection will be sent information packs from this week.

For further information about the Garden Waste Subscription Scheme please visit the website, or stay up to date with the latest waste information and news by subscribing to the waste e-newsletter at: www.york.gov.uk/EmailUpdates

There are alternative options available to dispose of garden waste; garden waste can be composted at home or can be taken, free of charge, to the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) at Hazel Court and Towthorpe. The council has discounted home composters available to buy for £12.75 from HWRCs.

The scheme currently only includes circa 66,000 eligible properties. The council is looking to extend the scheme to more properties, possibly for 2025, but for now only properties that already receive a garden waste service are eligible to join the scheme.

Executive approved the introduction of garden waste charges at a meeting in January and February 2024. It was also approved by Full Council.