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Wiltshire

Time to renew your garden waste collections

Households in Wiltshire that pay to receive garden waste collections will soon receive an email or letter inviting them to renew their subscription by 30 June 2021.

Current garden waste subscriptions expire on 30 June 2021 and existing customers now need to renew their garden waste subscription if they wish to continue to receive the service. The cost of having garden waste collected will remain the same at £50 per bin for the year.

New customers can sign up at any time to receive garden waste collections, either online atWiltshire.gov.uk/gardenwaste or by calling 0300 456 0103.

People don’t need to contact the council if they do not wish to renew.

Sam Fox, Director for Place at Wiltshire Council said, “All of the garden waste collected in Wiltshire is composted locally, which helps reduce pollution and also diverts waste from landfill.

“From April 2020 to March 2021 we collected more than 30,000 tonnes of garden waste from over 82,000 households in Wiltshire.

“We are asking people not to pay by cheque unless absolutely necessary, as processing cheque payments will take longer because of the extra precautions that have been put in place to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

“However, most garden waste customers already pay online as this is the quickest and easiest way to pay. We are asking people to renew online if at all possible, to minimise the number of phone calls we receive and help keep our phonelines open for vulnerable residents trying to contact us.”

Once people have renewed their subscription, they will be sent a letter within three weeks, containing a new garden waste bin sticker.

Garden waste bins are emptied fortnightly except for two weeks over Christmas and New Year.

What can go in a garden waste bin: bark, grass cuttings, cut flowers, weeds, leaves, hedge clippings, twigs and small branches in the bins.

What can’t go in a garden waste bin: fruit and vegetable peelings, food waste, cardboard, paper, soil and rubble or pet litter and animal waste.

Other options for composting are available if you don’t have room for a garden waste bin. Go online or call 0300 456 0102.

A full waste collection calendar is available on the Wiltshire Council website.

By Jon Hubbard

Cllr Jon Hubbard is the Wiltshire and Town councillor for Melksham South. First elected in 2009 he now sits as an independent. Jon is very active in the local community and actively works across the town and wider community. He helped create and continues to Chair both Young Melksham, who provide youth services in the town, and Age Friendly Melksham, who work to try and prevent social isolation for people of all ages. On Wiltshire Council Jon currently chairs the Children's Select Committee and is also Chair of the Adoption West Scrutiny Panel.