Free garden waste collections in South Hams to end in October

Residents will have to pay a subscription fee to get their garden waste collected

Residents in part of Devon will be charged for garden waste collections from next year.

South Hams District Council voted to bring in a paid subscription service in the spring, with the current service to end on 31 October.

Waste collection services return to the council on 3 October after a troubled period with contractor FCC Environment.

A senior councillor said "the inescapable truth is rising costs have forced our hand".

Councillor Keith Baldry, executive member for Environment, said the council understands many people will not want to pay for a subscription service.

"Ultimately, we must protect our core statutory services. Ceasing the collections over the winter will help us do that as we transition to an in-house waste collection service," he said.

Full council passed the motion by 22 votes to seven.

The council said garden waste collection is a discretionary service, not a statutory one, and the change will ease overall cost pressures.

The subscription fees will cover the cost of the service and not generate any profit, the council said.

Residents will be contacted about the changes in the coming weeks, including information on how to sign up for the service.