Copyright & Takedown Policy

1. Our Policy

councilbincollection.org/ is an editorial reference site that publishes original guides to UK council bin collection services. We write our own content, link to public-sector sources, and use third-party material only where we have permission or where the use is permitted by law (for example, fair dealing under sections 29-30 of the CDPA 1988). We don't knowingly host infringing content, and when we are notified of a credible claim of infringement, we act promptly under the procedure set out below.

2. UK Copyright Framework

UK copyright is principally governed by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA). Online intermediary liability is shaped by the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 (which retain effect post-Brexit) and by case law on website blocking under section 97A of the CDPA 1988. We follow a notice-and-takedown approach broadly aligned with these rules.

Useful UK copyright references:

• UK Intellectual Property Office: gov.uk/government/organisations/intellectual-property-office
• CDPA 1988 (full text): legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48
• UK government guidance on copyright: gov.uk/topic/intellectual-property/copyright

3. How to Submit a Takedown Notice

If you believe content on councilbincollection.org/ infringes your copyright, send a written takedown notice to:

Email is the fastest method and the one we encourage. If you need to send a postal address for legal-service reasons, contact us first at the address above and we’ll provide one.

4. Required Elements

For a notice to be actionable, it must include all of the following elements. We cannot act on incomplete notices — please include each item:

1. Identification of the copyrighted work. Identify the work you claim is being infringed. If multiple works are involved on the same site, a representative list is acceptable.
2. Identification of the infringing material. The specific URL on councilbincollection.org/ where the allegedly infringing material is located. Generic references ("somewhere on your site") aren't enough — we need the URL of the specific page.
3. Your contact information. Full legal name, postal address, telephone number and email address. If you are submitting on behalf of a company or rights holder, identify the entity and your authority to act on its behalf.
4. Statement of good faith. A statement that you have a good-faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorised by the copyright owner, its agent or the law.
5. Statement of accuracy and authority. A statement that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or are authorised to act on behalf of the copyright owner. Knowingly making false statements may amount to fraud or deceit under English law and could expose you to liability for the cost we incur and any wasted process.
6. Signature. A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or person authorised to act on the owner’s behalf. A typed name in an email is acceptable as an electronic signature for these purposes.

5. What Happens After You Submit a Notice

1. We acknowledge receipt within five working days, confirming the URL(s) you have flagged.
2. We review the notice for completeness against the elements above. If anything is missing, we ask you for the missing information before proceeding.
3. If the notice is complete and credible, we promptly remove or disable access to the identified material. Removal is a procedural step — it does not constitute an admission that the material is infringing.
4. We notify the user or contributor who was responsible for the material, if any, and provide them with a copy of the notice (with personal contact details redacted where appropriate).
5. The user may file a counter-notice. If they do, the procedure in Section 6 applies.

6. Counter-Notice Procedure

If material you submitted to councilbincollection.org/ has been removed or disabled in response to a copyright takedown notice and you believe the removal was the result of mistake or misidentification, you may file a counter-notice. After we receive a valid counter-notice, we forward it to the original complainant. We give the original complainant a reasonable period (typically 10 to 14 working days) to indicate whether they intend to bring a court claim seeking to restrain the alleged infringement; if they do not respond or do not bring proceedings, we may restore the material at our discretion.

7. Required Elements of a Counter-Notice

1. Identification of the material. Specify the material that has been removed or disabled and the location at which it appeared before it was removed.
2. Statement of mistake or misidentification. A statement, made under awareness of the consequences of false statements under English law, that you have a good-faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification.
3. Your contact information. Full legal name, postal address, telephone number and email address.
4. Consent to jurisdiction. A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales (or, if you reside in Scotland or Northern Ireland, of those jurisdictions) and that you will accept service of process from the person who submitted the original takedown notice or that person’s agent.
5. Signature. A physical or electronic signature.

Send counter-notices to the same address as takedown notices, with subject line “Copyright counter-notice.”

8. Repeat Infringer Policy

We maintain and enforce a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances, the access of users who are determined to be repeat infringers. The determination is made by the editorial team based on the totality of credible takedown notices, the validity of any counter-notices, the nature of the material, and the user’s overall conduct on the site.

9. Trademark Complaints

Copyright and trademark are different rights. If you believe a trademark you own is being infringed by content on councilbincollection.org/, send a separate complaint to:

For context — council names, logos and crests belong to the relevant local authority. We use council names to identify the area each page covers; we don’t reproduce official seals or claim sponsorship. Our broader position is in the Disclaimer.

10. Defamation and Other Complaints

If you believe content on the site is factually inaccurate or defamatory under the Defamation Act 2013, please use the Contact page with the subject line “Correction” or “Defamation concern.” We treat all credible accuracy complaints as a priority queue and respond within seven working days. The takedown process on this page applies only to copyright; it is not the right channel for defamation, harassment or general accuracy complaints.

11. Misuse of the Takedown Process

12. Contact

• Copyright takedown: info@councilbincollection.org — subject line “Copyright takedown notice”
• Counter-notice: info@councilbincollection.org — subject line “Copyright counter-notice”
• Trade mark complaint: info@councilbincollection.org — subject line “Trade mark complaint”
• Accuracy / corrections: see the Contact page

We acknowledge receipt of formal copyright correspondence within five working days. The substantive response time depends on the complexity of the matter, but we aim to act on complete and credible takedown notices promptly.