Frequently asked questions and answers about the garden waste collection service in the Selby area
Why is a new charge being introduced?
Residents in most other areas of North Yorkshire already pay for garden waste collection services. When the new North Yorkshire Council was created earlier this year it inherited different collection services and, in all other areas, apart from the Selby area there is an additional charge for garden waste collections.
Garden waste collections aren’t something local authorities have to provide but we know that residents in the Selby area do value to this service and would like it to continue. Due to pressures on our budgets, we need to introduce an additional charge to help pay for this service. Income from the service will be used to offset the costs of delivering it.
How much will it cost?
The service will cost £29 for collections from 28 August up until 1 March 2024.
How do I sign up and pay?
You can sign up for a garden waste collection online. The form is quick and easy to complete. Please have your payment card ready.
How will you know I have paid for this service?
Residents that opt-in to this service will receive a licence sticker that is unique to their property and is displayed on their bin. The collection crews also have in-cab computers that show them which properties have paid.
Where should I display my licence sticker?
The licence sticker should be attached to the back of the green wheelie bin between the handles.
What happens when I subscribe?
You’ll receive a licence pack, including your licence sticker and the terms and conditions of the service, through the post within 14 days of signing up to the service. Once it arrives fix the sticker to the back of your wheelie bin between the handles.
I already pay for a second garden waste bin - how does this affect me?
If you already pay for a second green garden waste bin you have paid £26 for the period from 1 April 2023 to March 2024. To continue to have two bins emptied, you will need to pay for a subscription for the ‘first’ bin.
What do I do if I don’t want to sign up for collections?
If you do not want to sign up to the service, you do not have to contact us. The garden waste collection subscription service is an opt-in service. You will only need to contact the council if you want to sign-up to the service.
I don’t want to pay for the garden waste collections, what do I do with my bin?
You can keep it in case you sign up for the service at a later date or use it for something else. This could be for storage, as a water butt or for home composting. If you can’t keep your bin you can request removal of an unused brown bin.
What happens if I put my bin out for collection and I don’t have a licence sticker?
Garden waste bins without a licence sticker will not be emptied.
Will there be help for residents without the means to pay or who are in receipt of benefits?
No, there are no exceptions or concessions.
Can I share a bin with a neighbour?
Yes, you can share a garden waste bin subscription with your neighbour. One of you will have to arrange to subscribe to the service and the council will only empty the bin from the registered address. You will have to sort out payment of the subscription between yourselves.
What can go in my garden green waste bin?
We will accept:
- grass cuttings
- flowers
- plants and weeds
- leaves
- hedge clippings
- prunings, twigs and small branches up to 4 centimetres thick
We will not accept:
- food waste including meat, fish, vegetable peelings or tea bags
- nappies
- soil, rubble or stones
- glass, metal and plastic
- treated wood including fencing
- animal faeces, bedding or pet litter
- turf or compost
- plant pots
- sacks or plastic bags
- Japanese knotweed or other invasive weeds or plants
What happens if I need to I cancel my subscription?
You have the right to cancel by contacting us within 14 days of purchasing a subscription. If you have received at least one collection you will not be eligible for a refund.
Can I sign up later for the service?
You can join the garden waste scheme at any time during the year but you will still have to pay the full fee.
Will my garden waste be collected through the winter months?
There are no collections from Tuesday 12 December to Friday 5 January so our collection crews can focus on collecting extra waste presented over the Christmas period.
I’m moving house – what happens to my licence if I have already subscribed?
Licences are only valid for the property they were originally purchased for and are non-transferable. We cannot offer a refund if you move within or outside of the county or to a property where you no longer require the garden waste service. You can leave the licence for the new occupants of the property if there is any term remaining.
What are the alternatives to kerbside garden waste collections?
Home composting is the best way to deal with garden waste.
Low-cost compost bins are available from our partner Get Composting and start from just £12.
They are also available to buy at the Selby household waste recycling centre too.
Or garden waste can be taken to your local household waste recycling centre free of charge.
Do I have to sign up again next year and how much will it cost?
The fee for next year’s garden waste collection service has not yet been set. Subscriptions will open for this service in early January 2024.
What happens to my garden waste once it has been collected?
Garden waste collected through the garden waste collection service, or through the council’s household waste and recycling centres, is turned into compost for use in farming or horticulture.
Will my other waste bins still be collected if I don’t sign up for garden waste collections?
Your other waste collections will still take place.