Garden waste

Braintree District Council is replacing its current garden waste collection service with a new subscription-based service from week commencing 4 March 2024.

The new service will provide a fortnightly collection throughout the year (with a 2-week suspension over Christmas/New Year) unlike the current service which stops over the winter months.

If you wish to use the service, you will need to ‘opt-in’ by registering and paying the subscription fee in advance. Payment can be made on-line using a debit or credit card. Only those who sign-up to the new service will have their garden waste collected.

We will let residents know when registration is open for the early bird discount. Further communication will be issued on our website and social media.

We will then let you know when the payment system goes live so that you can complete your subscription. The preferred method of payment will be online on the Council’s website and usual communication channels.

Sign up for the garden waste subscription service

The decision was taken by Cabinet Members at their meeting on Monday, 10 July 2023.

In common with other local authorities (and indeed households) up and down the country, the Council is feeling the impact of the economic downturn and, with less funding from central government, budgets are under considerable pressure. We are therefore having to make some difficult decisions to ensure that essential services are maintained.

The collection of garden waste is a discretionary service for which local authorities can make a charge. Over 70% of UK authorities already charge for this service, including 9 councils in Essex, and others are considering introducing charges.

Based on consultation with other Councils that already charge for garden waste collections, we don’t believe it will. We know the vast majority of our District’s residents are conscientious and care about their local environment and that small-scale fly-tips such as bags of waste are deposited by an irresponsible few.