HAMBLETON residents are being asked to sign up for the council’s garden waste collection service, as a charge for the service is introduced.

From April 1, only homes that pay an annual charge of £35 will continue to have their green wheeled bins emptied every fortnight.

Subscriptions open on February 1 and people can register online at hambleton.gov.uk or ring the council on 01609-779977. Residents can also sign up at council offices in Northallerton, Stokesley or Easingwold.

People can have up to three bins per household, but each bin will involve an annual £35 fee.

For people with small gardens there is the opportunity to share bins.

The council introduced a free garden waste collection service 12 years ago as part of a national government drive to boost recycling rates. Since then compulsory targets have been removed and increasingly councils are charging for the service to cover cuts in local government funding.

Bringing in charges on a voluntary subscription basis means the authority is in line with most of its counterparts - five of the seven councils in North Yorkshire already have a charging policy in place.

“Collecting garden waste is a discretionary service – the council has the choice over whether it removes it from households or not,” said cabinet spokesperson, Councillor Stephen Watson.

“By introducing a charge for it we will be more able to maintain the delivery of this and other services. Householders have the choice of opting in or out of the service – they may prefer to compost their garden waste or dispose of it themselves at the household waste and recycling centres.”

To buy a cut price compost bin through the York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership follow the ‘composting’ link on hambleton.gov.uk