Thousands sign up for bin scheme

The new subscription-only service starts from the beginning of April and costs £30 per bin a year for fortnightly wheelie-bin collections.

West Oxfordshire District Council is urging householders who have not already signed up should do so as soon as possible to guarantee that their licence will reach them in time for the start of the service.

Cllr Carol Reynolds, cabinet member for environment, said: “I am pleased there has been such a high take up of the new service. Most residents are keen to ensure they have their licence ready for their first collection in April and so a large number of applications are continuing to come in each day.

“Having regular collections is much easier and more convenient than taking garden waste to the tip. Residents can be assured too that all their garden waste will be composted and put to good use.”

Signing up for garden waste collections can be done online at www.westoxon.gov.uk/garden or by calling 01993 861025.

The council says it is introducing the charge for the service due to the loss of external funding. From April, garden waste collections will be carried out by the council’s new contractor, Ubico .

The firm will take over all of the council’s other waste collection services from October this year.