You are reminded by the council to renew your garden waste permits or sign up for a new one before registration closes at 2pm on Wednesday, 9 September 2020.
To receive brown bin collections when the next service year starts on 9 November, residents must have registered and paid for a permit by the deadline. Permits cost £25 per bin.
The current service year for fortnightly brown bin collections was due to end on 4 October but permits were extended until 8 November to make up for temporary suspension earlier this year due to coronavirus. Residents are asked if they can to register online where the MyGov sign in is now optional to make registration easier.
It is not possible to pay in person at locality offices this year as they are being used as community resilience centres for coronavirus, but you can also pay over the phone.
Phone lines are likely to be very busy so if you’re unable to register online yourself, do ask someone to help you if you can.
Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “I’d like to remind everyone who would like us to collect their garden waste that registration and renewal for this service ends on Wednesday. I would urge anyone who wants to continue having their brown bin collected to sign up in the next few days to avoid missing out on collections. The quickest and easiest way to do this is online, which is why 90% of the people who have already registered have done so via our website. We know not everyone has access to the internet though, and there is an option for registration over the phone.
“There will be another opportunity to register or renew in the new year, but the charge will be the same at £25 per bin and permits will remain valid until November 2021. This is one of the lowest annual fees in Scotland among local authorities operating a similar service and works out at just under 50 pence a week.”
Reminders have been sent to current subscribers who have not yet renewed their permits.
About the service
- Permits cost £25 per brown bin. A one-off payment of £25 will be taken by debit or credit card, unless you’re exempt from paying because you receive Council Tax Reduction.
- The deadline to register is 2pm on 9 September 2020 and the quickest and easiest way to do this is on the council website.
- You can also register and pay over the phone by calling 0131 357 2800. The council expects phone lines to be busy and there may be long waiting times. Phonelines are open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3.40pm Friday. Please note the council cannot accept cash or cheques.
- The next service year will run from 9 November 2020 – 7 November 2021.
- Brown bins will be emptied once every two weeks, except over the festive period when there will be no collections between 14 December 2020 and 10 January 2021
- There will be another opportunity to sign up to the new service year, but the payment will remain at £25 and permits will be valid until 7 November 2021.
- Once the council has received your payment, they will send you a permit sticker between 23 October and 4 November to put on your brown bin before the new service year starts. They can only empty bins with valid permit stickers.
Exemptions
If you are a low income household and receive Council Tax Reduction (formerly Council Tax Benefit) or you, or someone who lives with you, has been classed as severely mentally impaired, the service will be free, but you’ll still need to register for the service.
Other council tax discounts, such as single occupancy or disabled person discount, do not qualify for this reduction. Households that pay for garden aid are not exempt from paying for the service.
Further information about the service is available on the council website, including details about alternative ways to pay, exemptions, how to pay on behalf of someone else and the terms and conditions.
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