Charges for collecting green waste have generated more than £5 million for Cherwell District Council from households in the north of the county, although the number of people signing up has been declining year on year.
The authority was the last in Oxfordshire to begin imposing a fee for garden waste collection, with the scheme beginning on 1 March 2022.
During its opening month, the initiative produced £106,925 through a discounted early-bird rate of £36.
Both revenue and the annual subscription charge have risen since then, reaching £2,113,251 in the most recent twelve-month period and £49 per subscription respectively.
Similar fees levied throughout the region include Oxford City Council’s annual charge of £94 per brown bin, West Oxfordshire’s £52.50, South Oxfordshire’s £78, and the Vale of the White Horse’s £76.
Uptake of Cherwell’s chargeable garden waste collection scheme has declined each year.
The first full financial year (2022/23) saw the greatest take-up, with 40,677 homes taking out subscriptions covering 45,915 bins.
The subsequent twelve months recorded 40,217 households and 45,816 bins, while 2024/25 fell further to 38,182 homes and 43,303 bins.
The latest financial year showed 36,723 households paying for 42,243 bins in total.
Responses to Freedom of Information requests confirm the council has amassed £5.74 million from garden waste subscriptions across all years.
The 2021/22 period brought in £106,925, rising to £1,791,118 the following year, then £1,732,239, and hitting £2,113,251 in 2024/25.
A council representative said the garden waste service had since 2022 helped householders dispose of their garden clippings and cuttings easily and conveniently. The representative explained that garden waste subscriptions were a paid-for option residents could opt into, noting it was a competitive rate and among the lowest in Oxfordshire. The service was promoted annually to ensure relevant information reached interested parties. Revenue from the collection service was used to fund waste and recycling operations.