North Somerset residents to be charged for green waste collection

More than 50,000 people are to be charged £50 a year to have their green waste collected from the summer.

North Somerset Council is to levy an annual charge for the previously free service.

The local authority hopes the decision will save £450,000 a year, encourage home composting and cut carbon emissions. 

The council executive has approved the charges and a consultation will begin in the coming weeks.

Currently, 51,264 households in North Somerset have registered for a free garden waste recycling collection.

'Can't justify'

Council leader, Don Davies, said the authority had little choice after years of cuts and council tax freezes.

Mr Davies said: "We have £25m of cuts to make over the next four years.

"It gives us very little room for manoeuvre."

In an executive meeting, councillor Bridget Petty said that with more people home composting and fewer vehicles on roads collecting waste, the move was a "boost for the environment". 

Deputy council leader Mike Bell said: "We can't justify subsidising a garden waste collection service which only benefits a minority of residents when we're having to cut frontline services."