Deadline loomsto register forgarden bins

Cllr Bob Standley, leader of Wealden District Council, Cllr Jeremy Birch, leader of Hastings Borough Council, Nicola Peake, managing director of Kier, Cllr Gill Mattock, chairman of the Joint Waste Committee and Cllr Tony Gandley, from Rother District Council

From From summer 2014, a fortnightly collection of garden waste is being offered to residents for an annual charge of just £25.

Residents will be able to register for the service online by visiting www.rother.gov.uk/gardenwaste or calling the customer service contact centre on 0843 104 77 88 (Calls cost 5p per minute from standard UK landlines. Other network charges may apply).

A leaflet about the service is currently being distributed to all households in the district. Residents can also fill out a form within the leaflet and return it by post to register.

Householders wanting to sign up for the service need to do so before January 6, 2014, to allow time for the new bins to be ordered and collection schedules to be drawn up.

The change to the service is part of Rother District Council’s new waste collection and street and beach cleaning contract.

The contract, awarded to Kier, is a joint venture between Rother, Wealden, Hastings and Eastbourne councils and will promote more recycling, reducing the amount of household waste the Council pays to send to landfill. Cardboard will in future go into the recycling bin as part of the improved service.

Councillor Tony Ganly, Rother District Council portfolio holder for waste and recycling, said: “We feel this service continues to offer residents a much valued, easy to use way of getting rid of garden waste - at a charge that equates to around a pound per collection.

“We feel the charge represents good value for money for users. Residents will be able to get rid of garden waste from the kerbside without having to go to the tip.”

Under the current system, some residents have garden waste collected from their green wheelie bin. From summer 2014, these wheelie bins will be reused to collect even more recyclable items. Those who do not register by January 6, are not guaranteed to receive a garden waste collection when the service starts.