PLANS to charge residents for garden waste collection have been voted through.

A proposal to charge £36 for fortnightly pick-ups, with collections only suspended over Christmas, was approved by full council at a meeting on Monday March 4.

If residents choose not to opt in no action is required, but they will no longer receive garden waste collections from Dudley Council.

The new paid for service is part of a raft of measures being introduced to offset estimated budget pressures of more than £12 million this year to try to protect critical front-line services.

Councillor Damian Corfield, the council’s cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said: “Most councils, including our neighbours in Sandwell and Wolverhampton, are already charging to collect garden waste. Most are charging more than we are going to charge.

“We know how much people value this service. But we need to try and balance the books to protect front-line services and the most vulnerable in our borough. As such, we now feel we have no option but to follow suit with these proposals.

“It will equate to £3 a month – and in exchange for that, residents will get more collections as we move the service to all year round apart from two weeks over Christmas.

“We will be doing all we can to ensure the extended and improved service offers excellent value to our residents.”

The fee of £36 will be payable in one lump sum by debit or credit card – the option to pay monthly will not be available.

To opt in to the new service and order a permit visit www.dudley.gov.uk/garden-waste or call Dudley Council Plus on 0300 555 2345 with any questions.

Compost bins are available to residents across the Dudley borough for £89.99 including delivery.

For more information, or to place an order, people are asked to visit https://www.dudleyrecycles.org.uk/composting.