2020/21 Garden waste permits go on sale

15th June 2020

Highland Council Garden Waste Permits are now available to purchase for the 2020/21 permit season. All existing permit holders will receive a reminder to renew their permit over the next few weeks. The optional fortnightly household collection scheme is also now open to new customers living within the brown bin catchment areas.

Due to the COVID-19 emergency the garden waste service was suspended in March. This meant that customers missed 3 or 4 collections depending on their collection day. To compensate customers for these missed collections the Council has extended the 2019/20 permit season by 9 weeks, taking it to the end of August 2020.

The 2020/21 garden waste permit season will start on Tuesday 1st September and will run until the 31st August 2021. Customers are being encouraged to order their permits by the start of August to ensure delivery in time for the first collections of the new service year. All new 2020/21 permits purchased will be valid for use upon receipt. The cost of a garden waste permit for the 2020/21 will be £45.00 per bin for the year and customers can purchase up to 3 permits per household.

Councillor Allan Henderson, Chair of the Communities and Places Committee said: "Last year approximately 28,000 garden waste permits were purchased in Highland and I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank householders for their support. An incredible 9,000 tonnes of garden waste was collected from customers brown bins in 2019/20 which was then composted into a soil conditioner for agricultural use or land improvement."

The charge for the collection of garden waste was originally agreed as part of the 3 year budget settlement in February 2019. The Council budget is very uncertain for this current year due to the impact from the COVID-19 emergency. The income from the sale of garden waste permits is critical in helping to fund the cost of the service, protect jobs and reduce the need for cuts whilst continuing to provide a service that Highland households value at this pivotal time.

Chair of the Council's Recovery Board, Cllr Alasdair Christie said: "We recognise that this service is popular and valued by customers. By continuing to use the service residents will be doing their bit for the environment as well as helping the Council to reduce costs from landfilling waste, which combined will make a valuable contribution to the Council's journey to recovery."

Councillor Henderson added: "With many of us of now spending more time our gardens, we have seen an increase in demand from new customers wishing to use the garden waste collection service. New customers may now purchase permits and are advised to visit our website www.highland.gov.uk/gardenwaste to check they live in a brown bin collection area. The fortnightly collection service is easy and convenient to use and accepts a wide range of garden material including grass cuttings, leaves, hedge clippings, weeds, flower, plants and small branches."

Demand for permits will be high in the weeks immediately prior to the 2020/21 service commencing; therefore, householders are encouraged to sign-up by the 2nd of August to ensure they receive permits in time for the first collections. Customers can continue to order garden waste permits after the 2nd of August, however, the Council cannot guarantee that permits ordered following this date will arrive in time for the first collections of the 2019/20 permit year.

Garden waste permits can be purchased on-line at www.highland.gov.uk/gardenwaste; or by calling the Highland Council's Service Centre on 01349 886660.

The service is optional, and householders are also able to take their garden waste along to their local Recycling Centre free of charge.

Garden waste collection areas are as follows - please check website for further detailed information:

Inverness including Westhill, Smithton, Culloden, Balloch, Ardersier, Croy, Beauly and Kirkhill

Nairn and Auldearn

Ross-shire – Tain, Fearn, Inver and Seaboard Villages, Kildary/Milton, Barbaraville, Invergordon, Alness, Evanton, Dingwall, Strathpeffer, Conon Bridge/Maryburgh, Muir of Ord, Culbokie, Munlochly, North Kessock, Avoch, Fortrose, Rosemarkie

Lochaber – Fort William including Corpach and Caol,

Caithness – Thurso, Wick, Castletown, Halkirk, Haster, Keiss, Thrumster, Reiss

Badenoch & Strathspey – All main settlements