Sign up for your garden waste service
Please note that the 2025/2026 subscription year is not available for purchase. Further information will be made available in due course. Please do not use any online form for subscribing.
From 1 March 2022 we started charging for garden waste collections from your property.
By subscribing or renewing your subscription to the service, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions for this service. These should be read prior to completing the subscription form.
Please note: By ordering a garden waste subscription, this does not mean that you will automatically receive a brown bin. If you don't have an existing brown bin, you will need to indicate this within the ordering process if you require one.
Additional subscriptions
Subscriptions for additional bins can be processed by using the same form below.
Annual subscription charges 2024/25
| Subscription period | Subscription charges |
|---|---|
| 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2025 | £49.00 per subscription |
Subscription and bin label
From the time of ordering, please allow 28 days for the welcome pack to be delivered to you before contacting us. We can advise in the meantime that your garden waste will still be collected.
How to complete your label
Please write your address on your label(s) before you attach it to your brown bin(s) using a permanent marker pen. Once you receive your welcome pack, please read the letter carefully as this will give you instructions as to what to do next with placing the label on the bin(s).
If you have lost or damaged your subscription label you can request a replacement.
Cancelling your subscription
If you wish to cancel your payable garden waste subscription, please contact us by email or via the council website and provide one-month termination notice. You will still be charged for the year you have subscribed for (no refund will be given).
Moving subscription to another address
Please note that although we allow a current subscription to be moved to a different address within the Cherwell District, you must advise customer services of this so that we can ensure your subscription is moved to your new address on our system. You must also take your brown bin with you to that new address.
Your garden waste collection day
Your garden waste will be collected every other week. You can put your brown bin or bins out for collection along with your blue recycling bin and outdoor silver food waste caddy.
Please ensure your brown bin or bins are placed outside for collection by 7am on your collection day and ensure the back of each bin is facing the road, which will then help our collection crews to easily see your subscription label. Remember to bring the bin or bins back in as soon as possible after collection. You can check your collection day on our website.
Please do not put food waste in your brown bin, this will be collected as part of our weekly food waste collections service.
Missed collections
If the collection is missed, we will return to empty the bin in line with our current arrangements. In exceptionally inclement weather, the contents of the bin may freeze and it may not be possible to empty the bin. In these cases, we will not return until the next scheduled collection day.
Reasons for not collecting your brown bin
We will only be emptying brown bins that display a subscription label and no side waste will be taken. For safety reasons please ensure that the lid of your garden bin is closed.
If your garden waste bin is contaminated then we won't be able to empty your bin. You will be asked to remove the contamination (e.g. food, plastic bags) so it can be emptied on the next collection date.
Only bins showing the official licences will be emptied. Residents can purchase as many licences as they want for their property.
There may be occasions due to exceptionally inclement weather, bank holidays etc. when the collections will be suspended. Full details will be provided on our website if there are any interruptions to the service. No refunds will be given for unexpected disruptions to the service.
Assisted collections
If you are currently registered for the assisted collection service, and have subscribed to our garden waste collection service, then collections will continue as normal.
If you would like to enquire about setting up a new assisted collection, please contact our customer service team on 01295 227003.
If you live in a flat
Please discuss this with your managing agent or landlord and ask them to contact us to make the necessary arrangements.
Report a damaged or missing brown bin
Contact us if your brown bin has been damaged or is missing.
What happens to your garden waste?
The contents of your brown bin are taken to a composting site in Oxfordshire, where it is treated and composted, in just a few months. The compost is then used on local farmers’ fields. The process is called In–Vessel Composting. The garden waste must be composted at very high temperatures. This process allows the garden waste to be broken down, killing potentially harmful weeds or pathogens.
Ordering garden waste sacks
If you are unable to have a garden waste bin at your property (e.g. due to access issues) and would prefer to order garden waste sacks, the cost is £49.50 for 50 sacks.
On completion of your order, we will arrange for the sacks to be delivered to you. Please note that ordering sacks is not a subscription and therefore is a one-off purchase.