A new subscription-based garden waste collection service has been launched today by Westmorland and Furness Council.
From today (1st April), residents across Westmorland and Furness who wish to continue receiving garden waste collections - or who would like to begin using the service - must subscribe at a cost of £60 per bin per year. The subscription window opens today and runs until 28 June. From 29 June, only bins displaying a valid subscription sticker will be collected. General household waste and recycling services remain unaffected.
Residents signing up for the first time will receive their first garden waste bin free of charge. Additional bins can be purchased for a one off fee of £25 each, and every bin - including the first - requires an annual subscription.
The easiest and quickest way for residents to subscribe is online via the Council's website at: westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/gardenwaste. For residents without internet access, subscriptions can also be made by calling the Council on 0300 373 3300.
Once a subscription is completed, a sticker will be posted out for residents to attach to their bin. Bins without a sticker will not be collected after 28 June. Any additional bins ordered will be delivered after sign up is complete.
Councillor Giles Archibald, Westmorland and Furness Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Biodiversity and Environmental Services, said:
"With subscriptions now open, we appreciate that this new service will feel like a significant change for some residents, and we know it won't be a popular one for everyone. We also recognise that not everyone will want to sign up. This decision was made reluctantly, but it is necessary to help us protect the essential services that all our communities rely on.
"I hope residents will take the time to consider whether the service is right for them. For those who choose not to subscribe, there are responsible alternatives available, including home composting and taking garden waste to one of our Household Waste Recycling Centres. Whatever option people choose, we want to support residents to dispose of their garden waste in a way that is environmentally responsible and works for them."
Garden waste collections will continue to take place fortnightly, operating April to March each year, with a pause during the non-growing months of December, January and February, when garden waste levels are at their lowest.
The introduction of the charge was agreed as part of the Council's 2026/27 budget, approved by Full Council on 26 February, and reflects the need to review discretionary services due to significant financial pressures. Garden waste collection is not a statutory service; introducing a subscription ensures that those who use the service contribute to its cost, helping the Council protect essential services relied on by all residents.
The launch of the garden waste subscription service marks the first phase in a wider programme to harmonise waste and recycling arrangements across Westmorland and Furness. Further changes to the service, agreed by Cabinet in September last year, include moving to an in-house collection service, fortnightly residual waste collections using 240 litre wheelie bins, and fortnightly recycling collections using two 180 litre wheelie bins - one for plastics, cans and glass, and one for card and paper. Bespoke arrangements will be available for households unable to use wheelie bins.
Further details about upcoming changes to residual waste and recycling collections will be shared later this year.
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