can you put privet hedge clippings on the compost heap?

privet hedge can be composted as far as I am aware , I compost it all the time

You can put almost anything that has lived on your compost heap (perhaps not your mother in law!) and it will eventually rot down. We don't worry about other poisonous plants so we shouldn't worry about privet. Any woody prunings are best shredded or chopped up and left for longer. I find the black bins are best to 'cook' the ingredients in hot sun for a week or two before putting stuff into a conventional box. I put all weeds including bindweed and horsetail into the compost using this method and I've never had any come up in the garden as they are pretty well destroyed by the hot black bin before they go on.