Green garden waste collection will be scrapped next year, unless 10,000 people sign up to pay for the service.

Councillors have voted to stop the tax-payer funded scheme, as they strive to cut £40m off their annual budget by 2019.

If a charge is introduced residents will pay £59 a year for a 240 litre bin, but will save £10 if they sign up before February.

The cost is cheaper than in boroughs where the fee is already in place, with Kingston Council charging £71, Merton charging £65, and Richmond charging £60.

The council claim it will bring in savings of £736,000 a year.

 

At a public meeting on Thursday, November 6, councillors voted seven to two in favour of introducing a charge in Sutton.

The two opposed were deputy leader of the opposition Councillor Tony Shields, and Belmont councillor Patrick McManus.

Coun Shields said: "Everyone I have spoken to has said what do you mean its free? We pay out for it out of our taxes.

"It is the only service you get extra if you live in a house than if you live in a flat. The only thing.

"Having to pay online is going to be difficult for older people who will be bamboozled by this."

The service is funded by Sutton’s 78,174 households through their council tax bill, but most of the borough’s 27,336 flats, maisonettes, and apartments don’t use it.

2,000 people gave their views on the collection through phone surveys, online surveys, and three Have Your Say events.

Out of 1,002 people cold-called by the council, 32 per cent supported paying a fee, while 42 per cent were happy for the service to be stopped.

Most people who responded to the online survey or attended a Have Your Say event supported the introduction of a charge.

Those with a 140 litre bin will pay £54 a year, while people with two 240 litre bins will pay £94 a year.

Both fees will be dropped by £10 for those who sign up before February.

The service will be stopped in April next year if 10,000 people don't people sign up to pay for it.

Do you think you should have to pay for your garden waste to be collected? Vote in our poll and leave a comment below.