Conwy green waste charge plans face public opposition

More than half of the councils in Wales and England already charge for garden waste collections

A council's plan to bring in charges for garden waste collection has faced criticism over the options offered in a public consultation.

Conwy - the first council in Wales or England to move to monthly bin rounds - suggests charging £30-£46 a year, or scrapping garden waste collection.

Tory Welsh Assembly member Janet Finch-Saunders said people should have been asked if they wanted to keep it free.

Denbighshire, Flintshire and Gwynedd already charge to collect garden waste.

Conwy County Borough Council says its garden waste collection contract costs £620,000 per year, but officers say charges could raise between £600,000 and £920,000.

Ms Finch-Saunders said many concerned residents had contacted her office over the plan.

She said she was unhappy the council had rejected her suggestion of adding a tick box to the survey for those who opposed any charges.

"Clearly, innovative money-saving measures must be considered," she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"However, this should only be done with the full cooperation of residents. 

"I do hope that the officers and each elected member will take careful consideration of the written comments made by residents in the survey."

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Donald Milne, Conwy cabinet member for the environment, said Welsh Government policy recommended charging for green waste to encourage home composting.