DURHAM County Council started charging for garden waste collections in 2015, when it cost £20 for one year or £50 if three years were paid in advance.

This seemed reasonable for what is a really useful service of a fortnightly collection between March and October.

We have just received the costs for the next three years, and collections have increased from 16 to 17 per year, April to November.

However, the new charges are staggering.

The cost for 2018 is £30, a whopping 50 per cent increase. In 2019 and 2020 the fees increase to £35 a year. There is an option to pay for the three years upfront at £90.

We all expect charges to increase over time, but these really are extortionate, and it will be interesting to see how many residents continue to pay up.

DCC constantly moan about lack of funds and having to cut services, so why can they not dip into their “reserve” funds which run into tens of millions.

Can anyone explain why these reserves exist? When is the rainy day going to arrive which will force the funds to be used?

G Carr, Aycliffe Village