Three-weekly waste collections

Three-weekly waste collections

As agreed by Cabinet at its meeting on 5 May 2026, West Northamptonshire Council will harmonise the frequency of black bin collections for those properties with individual wheeled bins, with the change taking effect from spring 2027.

This means properties in Northampton and South Northamptonshire which have their own bins for waste collection and recycling will have their black bin for general waste collected every 3 weeks instead of the current 2-week schedule. 

They will be collected in the same way as similar properties in the Daventry area, which have had 3-weekly black bin collections since 2018. 

The service is called 1,2,3 +, because:

• food waste is collected weekly
• recycling is collected every 2 weeks
• general waste is collected every 3 weeks

There is also the optional garden waste service.

Although this change would not reduce the cost of Council Tax, the new service could help to stop the waste collection element of Council Tax from increasing in the future.

Sack collections

The 1,2,3 + service will only be rolled out to properties with individual wheeled bins.

If you have a sack collection, this will continue as normal, with sacks for general waste and recycling collected weekly.

Flats and communal bins stores

The 1,2,3 + service will only be rolled out to properties with individual wheeled bins. 

If you live in a flat and have communal bins your collections would continue to be collected as normal.

Pull Out and Return/Assisted Collection service

If you are currently registered for the Pull Out and Return Service/Assisted Collections, then this will continue when the new service is introduced. 

Last updated 05 June 2026