GREEN waste collections will see a £50 charge as Slough Borough Council can ‘no longer afford’ to keep it as a free service.

Residents who opted-in to the service will see the new bill come through from November 1 as the council hopes to raise up to £900,000 to help pay for the service.

The £50 fee is about £2 per collection across the whole year, which Cllr Mohammed Nazir (Lab: Baylis & Stoke), lead member for local environment, said is “still cheaper than the cost of fuel to drive to the tip”.

New subscribers will be charged a one-off £45 for a 240L green wheelie bin. Existing users will not be charged the £45 and will be able to use their current bin.

READ MORE: Slough Conservative leader slams £50 garden waste collection charge

The council says the move brings Slough in line with all its neighbouring authorities who have, in some cases, been charging for green waste collection for many years.

The service will also be provided for 50 weeks as opposed to the current nine months to provide Christmas tree collections.

Cllr Nazir said: “Nothing is changing right now so people don’t need to do anything immediately.

READ MORE: Slough garden waste collection service could see £50 charge

“But from November 1, only those who have signed up and paid for the green waste service will receive it and have their green bin collected.

“Unfortunately, we can no longer sustain providing this service for free. We have held on for as long as possible – far longer than any of our neighbouring boroughs – but it cannot continue.

“However, for all those who sign up, it will be a year-round service again with registration each November and just a two-week break for Christmas."