Householders across Darlington can now sign up for this year’s garden waste collection service.
Around 4,800 householders signed up to the service last year, with collections running between April and November during which more than 1,300 tonnes of garden waste was collected and recycled as agricultural fertiliser.
The service proved such a success, Darlington Borough Council decided to continue it and is now inviting householders to renew their subscription for collections during 2020 by completing a form and paying their annual fee online. The annual fee will remain at £35.
There is also a separate online form available for anyone wishing to sign up and pay their subscription for the first time.
Once payment is made, new service users will be issued with a 240 litre wheeled bin to store garden waste prior to collection. Those residents with larger gardens also have the option of purchasing extra bins, up to a maximum of four per property.
Information on what can and can’t be placed within the bin will be provided – details can also be found in the ‘frequently asked questions’ section of the website (see below).
New and existing service users will be sent a sticker, which should be attached to the bin so collection crews can easily see that the service has been paid for. Any bin without a sticker will not be emptied. They will also be able to access a timetable of collection dates for 2020.
Councillor Heather Scott, Leader of Darlington Borough, explained:
“We’re delighted so many people found the garden waste collections useful and that they’re keen to sign up for another year.
“We’re now inviting people who want to renew – and anyone who wants to sign up for the first time – to pay their annual fee as soon as possible, so we can start planning this year’s collections.
“We’ve aimed to make it as simple as possible to do this, just select the right form, fill in your details and pay your annual fee online. It only takes a few minutes!”
The Garden Waste service, which is self-funding and does not incur additional costs to the council, offers a fortnightly collection for 30 weeks of the year, between April and November.
The deadline to renew or sign up and pay in time for the start of this year’s collections in April is 23 March.
Householders can still sign up for the service after this date, but if you’re signing up for the first time your bin may not be delivered in time for the first collection. You can also subscribe anytime during the year, but you will only receive the remaining collections of the year and you will still pay the same price.
For more details please visit www.darlington.gov.uk/gardenwaste – where you can also pay your annual fee for the service.
Please ensure you complete the correct form – either for ‘renewal’ or ‘new sign up’. If you have any difficulties paying online, please pop in to the Town Hall Customer Services Centre – with your credit or debit card – and one of our friendly staff will be able to help guide you through the process.