West Lindsey District Council is asking residents for feedback on two proposed options for the future of the district’s garden waste collection service due to climate change extending the growing season and rising costs.

Residents can read about the proposals and complete the survey by visiting the council’s website www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/gardenwaste2026 before 9am, Tuesday, December 1.

The options under consideration are:

- Option 1: £50 a year for 18 collections between March and November, approximately £2.78 per collection.

West Lindsey's garden waste consultation.

placeholder image — West Lindsey's garden waste consultation.

- Option 2: Up to £57 a year for 22 collections across the year, approximately £2.59 per collection. This would include winter collections and an opportunity to dispose of real Christmas trees in January.

The council says the additional collections would respond to a longer growing season and changing weather patterns. Met Office data reports there has been 21 per cent more growing days than the 1961–1990 average. Additional winter collections could reduce the need for some subscribers to take garden waste to household waste recycling centres.

In West Lindsey, the garden waste service is optional. Only households that subscribe pay the annual charge; the service is not funded through Council Tax. The council says its £48 charge no longer fully covers the cost of the service and therefore needs to be reviewed.

Residents who chose not to use the service can take their garden waste to their nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre for free or compost it at home.

West Lindsey's waste collection team depot.

Chairman of the Thriving Council Committee, Coun Peter Morris said: “We know household budgets remain under pressure, so it is important that residents have a meaningful say before any decision is made.

“These options offer different balances between annual cost, collection frequency and value for money. We want to understand which approach residents would prefer and how they might use collections during the winter months.”

The Thriving Council Committee will consider the consultation findings alongside financial, operational and environmental factors before making a recommendation on the future service.

Paper copies of the survey are available by emailing: [email protected].

For information about the garden waste service, including what can be placed in the bin and answers to frequently asked questions, visit the council’s garden waste webpage.