Frequently asked questions

You can now sign up online or over the phone (please note we are experiencing a high volume of calls).

You can sign up after 1 February when the new service begins, there is no sign up deadline.

We have now delivered over 18,000 bins at a rate of 150-200 a day. You can expect your new bin to arrive within four weeks of ordering, but most are arriving after about two weeks.

If you have signed up and paid for the new service and have garden waste to dispose of, it takes two or three days to get the information to the bin crews, but then please continue to leave out your garden waste sacks until your new bin arrives.

Yes you can start using your new bins straight away, but once you have received your new bin please do not also put garden waste in bags out. Only the garden waste in the brown bin will be collected

The annual fee is:

• £59 for a standard size bin
• £39 for a smaller bin

Unlike many local authorities that run this type of scheme, we are not asking for you to purchase the bin, this is included in the annual cost. 

Once you have subscribed to receive the service, you will be delivered a brown wheelie bin.

You will be able to pay online or via direct debit. There will be detailed terms of conditions available to view as part of the sign up.

Phased payments, part payments or discounts are not available.

The standard sized bin (240l) is 1m high, 70cm deep and 60cm wide ^{(jpg, 2mb)} (Equivalent to around 2.7 of the current garden waste bags weight capacity)

The smaller bin(140l) is 1m high, 55cm deep and 50cm wide. ^{(jpg, 2.4mb)} (Equivalent to around 1.6 of the current garden waste bags weight capacity)

No. However, if you have a council approved bag system for your current residual waste or recycling service because of accessibility issues, or the type of house frontage that you have, you will be able to continue with a bag system, but you will have to pay for the collection - £39 for up to two bags (equivalent to smaller bin), and £59 for up to three bags (equivalent to standard bin).

There are some council approved locations where for operational reasons there is not room for an additional bin, which will continue to operate with a bag collection, but on the same charged for basis as above.

Yes you can keep your existing bag to move material around your garden, but collection will only be made from the new bins, unless you are from a (council approved) property which is not able to receive one.

If you think you need to continue using your garden waste bag because there is not space for a new bin, please contact our customer service team. 

They will take your details, and we will then review your request and let you know if for operational reasons you are able to keep a bag service.  You can then make the decision to purchase the service.

All properties which currently have a bag collection for recycling or residual waste, will continue with a bag service for garden waste if they choose to sign up. 

You are able to take your garden waste free of charge to the Household Waste Recycling Centres, or you can compost it at home. Find out more here: www.getcomposting.com

If garden waste is added to residual waste bins, these will not be collected.

The service runs for the annual period Feb 1 2021 to Jan 31 2022. You can sign up at anytime.

Those wishing to continue with the service will have to pay again when the year is up.

You are able to share the bins with a neighbour if you want to reduce your individual cost, but we will need a single point of contact from whichever is the lead neighbour.

If you currently receive an assisted collection and sign up to the new service, you will continue to receive an assisted collection.

Christmas trees will continue to be collected from all properties in the weeks after Christmas as detailed on your calendar.

If you currently receive an assisted collection and sign up to the new service, you will continue to receive an assisted collection.

If you have bought an additional garden waste bag between January 2020 and July 2020 you are eligible for a refund on what you paid, once you have signed up to the new service.

Please contact our customer service centre.

Yes - call our Customer Service team on 0300 300 0013 to request to downsize your other bins.

From 1 February, the city council now operates an annual charged for garden waste collection service in common with all the other authorities within Hampshire except Fareham. However, Fareham is also due to begin a chargeable service from February 2022.   

The new service is separate to your council tax. The old ‘green bag’ service was not used by all residents as not all have gardens, but was paid for as part of every council tax payment.

The council tax for 20/21 was set at a level to cover the cost of delivering the free bag service to all residents only until part way through the 20/21 year, when the change to the new charged for service was introduced i.e. 1 February 21.

The new service, which started part way through the 20/21 council tax year, makes sure that only those who use choose to use the service, pay for it, and as this means it is no longer a tax on everyone.

Winchester City Council has set the second lowest service price of all Hampshire councils. We are offering a larger bin to those who need it. There is no extra charge for the bin, as you pay for the service only. The new bins can hold much more garden waste than the previous green bags, are easier to move around, and aren’t affected by the weather. We provide a service for nearly all of the year (25 weeks every fortnight apart from one fortnight over Christmas) unlike other areas, where some services cease over the winter.

For those not wishing to take part in the charged for garden waste service, residents have access to the household waste recycling centre run by Hampshire County Council, where garden waste can be deposited for free, or discounted composters are available to those who prefer to use that approach.