Service standards

Service standards for waste collection

The council operates the vast majority of collections of waste from households in wheeled bins or, in the case of multi occupancy flats, larger communal bins.

Standard size wheeled bins are provided for recycling, residual household waste, or garden waste. Larger size bins are not provided, except in cases where households have been assessed as requiring a larger blue recycling bin.

Residual waste in the green bin is collected one week, and recycling in the blue bin the next week. Residents who have also arranged for seasonal collections of garden waste will have their brown bin emptied on a fortnightly basis. All households therefore have at least one standard size bin emptied each week.

Service requirements

On your collection day you should leave the correct bin at the collection point before 7.30am. The collection point is generally:

• Terraced properties - in the rear lane against the wall
• Open plan estates - the edge of curtilage (on the pavement against the garden wall, at the end of the drive or on the adjacent verge)

We ask that you:

• Leave the bin with the handles facing the road
• Ensure that all waste to be collected is placed in the correct wheeled bin
• Ensure that the lid of the wheeled bin is able to close fully in order to prevent waste from falling from it or from being blown around in windy weather
• Take their wheeled bin back into their property as soon as possible after collection

Engagement and compliance commitment

Providing the above requirements are met the council's waste collection service will empty your bin and return it to its collection point.

The presentation of residual waste and recycling by residents will be recorded by the waste collection team in order to provide intelligence in respect of excess and/or incorrect waste being presented

Where intelligence identifies that residents are regularly putting out incorrect and/or excess waste, the council will engage with them to provide advice guidance and support to ensure that they are able to maximise the capacity of the bins provided to contain all residual waste and recycling in the correct way. This will reduce litter and spilled waste; help maintain clean streets and a safe environment for residents and waste collectors.

Where it is clear that more space for the containment of recycling and residual waste is required after all appropriate actions have been taken by the resident, with bin capacity maximised, the council shall consider the provision of a larger wheeled bin.

Subject to assessment by the council the principle means of increasing household waste storage capacity will be through the provision of a standard size blue recycling wheeled bin which the resident must undertake to use only for recycling.

An additional green bin for residual waste will be provided for households with a large number of residents subject to an assessment by the council that the capacity of a blue recycling wheeled bin is being maximised.

Where any member of a household is in receipt of medical care in their home, after assessment, additional support will be provided in the form of increased waste storage or collection frequency of any resulting household waste. Such an arrangement will be subject to review.

The council reserves the right to withdraw the recycling waste collection service from any residents that continue to contaminate their recycling waste after receiving the council's support.

In all cases where any resident persists in not using their wheeled bins as required in this service standard, resulting in littering and fly tipping, the council will take formal enforcement action including the issuing of fixed penalty notices and/or any other appropriate sanction.

Missed collections

Missed bin collections can be reported online on our website or by contacting us on 0191 520 5550.

Missed collections should be reported no earlier than 4pm on the day of the collection to allow time for delayed collections to be made and not later than 24hours after the scheduled collection day.

When you report a missed bin collection, you will be asked to confirm the following information:

• That the bin was left at its collection point by 7.30am on the day of collection
• That the correct bin was left out for collection
• That the bin did not contain any contaminated items (for example household waste left in the recycling bin)
• That the bin was not overloaded, and the lid was closed
• That the bin was visible and accessible

Subject to the above criteria being met, and checking against council records, the council will arrange for the collection of the waste within three working days of the missed collection report being received.

Replacement wheeled bins

Residents are responsible for looking after their bins and are encouraged to take steps to keep them safe.

A bin will be replaced free of charge if it has been lost or stolen. All structurally damaged bins will be repaired wherever possible and replaced only if beyond repair.

Not all bins supplied will be brand new as, in line with reducing our carbon footprint, we may supply a refurbished or pre-loved bin.

Bins supplied remain the property of the council and any charges levied for the supply of a bin are to cover administration and delivery.

Please note, to receive a brown bin you must sign up to and pay the service fee for the Garden Waste collection service. It does not represent the sale of the bin to the householder.

All household residual waste (green), recycling (blue) and garden waste (brown) bins and recycling caddies provided remain the property of the council.

Where a bin is damaged by the council the resident will be informed in person if they are present or by a form posted through their door if they are not. The resident will be provided with details of how and when the replacement wheeled bin will be provided to them.

Residents can request replacement bins online on the council's website or by contacting the us on telephone number 0191 520 5550.

Assisted collections

Residents may qualify for the assisted collection service if they are the sole member of the household and are elderly or infirm and/or suffering from a short or long term illness.

An assisted collection is when a waste collector collects and returns a householder's bin to and from its normal storage space as opposed to a collection point.

 Residents that qualify for an assisted collection must from 7.30am on the collection day:

• Leave any gates unlocked
• Make sure any pets are not loose in their garden or yard
• Ensure that the bin to be collected is accessible

Waste collectors will:

• Collect the bin from its normal storage space
• Take the bin to the vehicle for emptying
• Return the bin to its normal storage space
• Close any gates behind them on completing the process

Residents experiencing difficulties in placing their bins out for collection can apply for assistance online using the councils website or by contacting the City and neighbourhood team. All requests will be determined following an assessment of the resident's circumstances.

When any resident who receives an assisted collection no longer requires this service they or family members should inform the council by contacting the City and neighbourhood team.

The council will review these arrangements periodically and may carry out its own checks and remove the service where no longer applicable.