Two in three residents opposed paying for replacement bins, but the final policy keeps the £44 charge. Bins broken by crews are free. Councillors decide on 2 November.
Fareham households will keep paying for replacement wheelie bins, even though two in three people who answered the council’s consultation said they should not. The final Domestic Waste and Recycling Policy goes to the council’s Executive on Monday 2 November.
The post-consultation report says 66% of survey respondents disagreed with charging for replacement bins. Only 24% agreed. Officers still recommend no change.
A new or replacement 240 litre refuse or recycling bin costs £44, including delivery, according to the council’s order a bin page. Food waste bins and kitchen caddies stay free.
Why the charge stays
The report puts numbers on it. Replacement bins cost the council about £117,000 a year. Charges brought in about £83,000 in 2025/26. Scrapping the charge would lose that income and, officers expect, push up requests for new bins.
The report also says Eastleigh, Winchester, Portsmouth, Havant and Gosport all charge for replacement or new containers in at least some cases. Fareham has charged since 2019/20.
No general exemption for people on low incomes is proposed. Instead, the report says the revised policy will tell residents who would struggle with the charge to contact the council, so help can be looked at case by case.
What did change
The consultation ran from 15 July to 28 August and drew 726 survey responses, plus 248 conversations at events in Locks Heath and Fareham Park. Most of the policy survives as drafted. The changes are mainly clarifications:
- Bins broken or lost by the crews are replaced free. That was in the draft, but many respondents thought they would be charged anyway. Crews can now log a damaged bin from the cab, so the replacement starts without you having to prove what happened.
- Food waste problems such as foxes, flies and smells: an officer can visit if they persist, and larger shared containers may be offered. The council is also looking at other container types.
- Assisted collections will be promoted through GP surgeries, social prescribing and community venues, not only online.
- Bin handling by crews, such as bins left across drives and paths, will be dealt with through operational management rather than written into the policy.
The tighter rule on missed bins stays. If there is no tag or crew record explaining why your bin was not emptied, you must report it by 4pm the following day, according to the revised policy. The council’s current guidance gives three working days. We covered that change, and the other charges, when the draft went to councillors in September.
What residents asked for
Glass collections from the kerb and a wider range of plastics were the most frequent requests. The policy does not change for those, because it describes today’s services. The report points to a new Hampshire Materials Recovery Facility, due to open in spring or early summer 2028, as what would allow more materials to be collected.
Other results from the survey:
- 84% were confident they could follow the policy
- 94% had no difficulty putting their bins out
- 75% thought the enforcement approach reasonable
- 59% thought charges for extra bins fair
- 74% use the weekly food waste collection
The council notes that 68% of respondents were aged 55 or over and 87% lived in houses, so the results lean towards older residents in houses rather than flats.
Weekly food waste collections took in more than 1,300 tonnes in their first six months, about 57 tonnes a week, the report says.
What it means for you
- If a bin is worn out, stolen or vandalised, expect to keep paying £44 to replace it. Bins that break with age during a collection count as wear and tear on the council’s current page.
- If the crew breaks or loses it, it should be replaced free. Report it if a new one does not arrive.
- If you move into a home without bins, you still buy them, in private, rented and social housing alike.
- If you find putting bins out hard, ask about assisted collections on 01329 824850 or StreetsceneSupport@Fareham.gov.uk, the contact given in the policy.
The Executive meets at 5pm on Monday 2 November. The agenda and papers are online. The same meeting considers a padel centre at Coldeast. Check your own days on our bin collection days page.
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