A COUNCILLOR has defended plans to introduce an annual charge for green bin collections which he says are a "direct result of austerity".


St Helens Council's cabinet was due to discuss the introduction of an annual £35 charge for the service this afternoon (Wednesday), which would affect 68,000 households across the borough.


The kerbside collection costs about £900,000 a year and the authority is trying to find savings in the face of budget cuts.


Residents would have to pay £35 for their green bin to be collected between March and November at £1.75 per collection - or £30 if paid online.


Cabinet member for green, smart and sustainable borough, Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron, said: “We have provided this free service - for which we have no legal obligation to provide - for as long as we can, but as a direct result of austerity, like many other neighbouring local authorities facing significant funding cuts, the council can no longer afford to provide this additional service.


"Almost half of all councils in the UK now charge for green waste collection, which is not covered by council tax, and the majority of others are considering introducing a charge."


He added: “We recently had to put council tax up, but it doesn't bring in enough money to cover government cuts, and so services are lost. I don't like that either, but that's what austerity is.


“The only options would be to start charging for green waste collections to cover the costs of the service, to scrap the service altogether, or to cut a further £931,000 from statutory services such as protecting vulnerable people and roads maintenance.”


Star readers' reactions to the planned charge have been highly critical of the move.


One wrote: "If people don't burn their 'green' waste then they will do what we used to before green bin collections, put it in the brown bin.

"This then increases the amount that goes to landfill and therefore the costs to the council. 


"Those that don't have room in their brown bin and don't want to burn it may be tempted to dump it wherever they want".


Another added: "Why are we paying over and over again for services? The bin collection has already gone to a fortnightly collection with recycling containers weekly.


"Stop placing austerity measures on the public and start looking in-house to save costs".


In response to claims that the move will encourage fly-tipping, Cllr Gomez-Aspron added: “The introduction of this charge, which works out at either £1.75 or £1.50 per collection, does not excuse the criminal act of fly tipping. 


"Our waste centres are free to access and garden waste can be taken there if required. If you have a van, free permits are available online from MerseyWaste."