Below is a briefing from the Transport & Environment Convener  (Cllr Lesley Macinnes, SNP Councillor for Liberton/Gilmerton Ward). My previously stated view on the plan is here. 

Garden Waste Service
Following the decision at Council in February to introduce an annual £25 charge to collect garden waste every two weeks, work has been carried out in preparation for the roll out of the new service. Waste services have been working closely with customer, ICT, CGI, Oracle and partners, communications, finance and strategy and insight to ensure a joined-up approach to the development of the registration and payment process is put in place. To date, the following key actions have been
completed:

1. Garden waste policy written and approved
2. On-line registration form created and tested
3. Terms and Conditions agreed
4. Merchant codes set-up and ready to take payment online and over the phone
5. Communications plan developed which includes awareness campaign and direct
   contact via mailing to 245k households
6. Liaison with other services to agree entitlement for customers receiving Council Tax
7. Reduction Scheme or Garden Aid
8. DPIA has been reviewed and responses to risk mitigations agreed and approved by
   the Information Asset Owner
9. Integration Impact Assessment drafted

Registration process
Residents will be able to sign up for the new service from 18 June – 22 July on our website. Residents without access to the internet at home can use the self-serve kiosks at our locality offices, internet at libraries or register by phone. For online registration, residents will need to register for a MyGov account first if they do not already have one.
We are expecting a high demand for registration and additional web server capacity and extra staff in the contact centre are being put in place for six weeks.

The registration period will be supported by a five-week awareness campaign and we will also write to residents during this time to inform them of the changes and what they need to do.

Registration uptake will be tracked and monitored daily. Frequently asked questions will be reviewed and updated on our website daily as required. Information for residents is available on our website.

Residents who choose not to sign up for the new service are being encouraged to continue recycling their garden waste by taking it to one of our recycling centres for free or by composting at home. If they no longer want their brown bin they will be able fill out an online form in October and we will arrange to collect their bins. The bins will either be re-used or recycled.

Bin permits and calendars
Once registration closes on 22 July the waste and cleansing team will create the new garden waste collection routes. Once completed new calendars will be created and sent to customers along with their permit sticker two weeks prior to the service to put on their bin. We will only empty bins with a valid permit sticker.

There will be another opportunity to sign up later in the year, but payments will not be prorated.