From 1 November 2022 Slough’s garden waste (green bin) collection will move to a year-round service and will be a £50 a year.
The move brings Slough in line with all its neighbouring authorities who have, in some cases, been charging for garden waste collection for many years.
The former garden waste collection system – a nine months of the year service – will stop at the end of October with only those who have registered and paid, receiving a collection after that.
Registered users will then receive a fortnightly collection all year round; throughout the winter months and include the collection of real Christmas trees, after these are finished with at the end of the Christmas period.
All the garden waste collected will continue to go to a special plant near Winkfield where it is turned into compost.
Councillor Mohammed Nazir, lead member for transport and the local environment, said: “Nothing is changing right now so people don’t need to do anything immediately.
“But from 1 November, only those who have signed up and paid for the vwaste service will receive it and have their green bin collected.
“Unfortunately, we can no longer sustain providing this service for free. We have held on for as long as possible – far longer than any of our neighbouring boroughs – but it cannot continue.
“However, for all those who sign up, it will be a year-round service again with registration each November and just a two week break for Christmas.
“With 25 collections, this is just £2 per collection across the year and is still cheaper than the cost of fuel to drive your garden waste to the tip.”
More information on how to register will be sent to all residents who currently have a green bin after the summer.
Anyone who isn’t part of the garden waste scheme will also be welcome to sign up before November with information being released on the council’s website and social media feeds.