MORE than 190,000 households are being invited to sign up to a paid-for garden waste service.

Durham County Council is introducing a £20-a-year charge for its kerbside green waste collection from next spring – and extending the service to an extra 35,000 homes.

Residents wishing to access the service must sign up.

Those doing so by February 1 will get 16 fortnightly collections between spring and autumn.

Anyone who signs up for three years will get a discounted rate of £50.

Those subscribing will get a sticker for their garden waste bin showing they are part of the scheme.

The change is expected to save the Labour-run council, which faces cuts of more than £200m, £933,000 a year.

It was due to be introduced this year, but was delayed by 12 months.

Liberal Democrats claim the “garden tax” will lead to more fly-tipping.

Labour councillor Brian Stephens, the council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said: “With government spending cuts, the only way we can continue to provide this service is to charge a small annual fee.

“From next year, residents will need to choose whether or not to join the scheme and I’m pleased that the option is going to be available to more households.”

For more information, including which households are eligible for the collections, visit durham.gov.uk/gardenwaste