Residents in Powys are concerned at having to pay a charge for a garden waste collection service which is replacing the council’s green waste bins.

Powys County Council’s new green waste collection service, which takes household garden waste from the kerbside, started last week.

The service will cost an annual fee for service users who will either have to pay £30 a year for a 120 litre wheeled garden waste bin or £35 a year for a 240l wheeled garden waste bin.

Residents who sign up to the service, which will only operate between April and November, can expect to have fortnightly collections which will start 10 working days after they have registered.

However it means the council will start removing garden waste banks from 35 community recycling sites across the county over the next two weeks, meaning residents will be forced to use the new service, drive to major recycling centres or start home composting – a home compost bin from Powys costs £20.

Brecon resident Angela Williams described the move as “unbelievable” and that she feels it doesn’t consider people who cannot accommodate wheelie bins.

She said: “I live in a property where you can’t use a wheelie bin, so I personally will not be paying for this disgraceful change.

“I always take all my garden rubbish to the green waste bins down Canal Road.

“We do not have wheelie bins where I live, only the very flimsy lilac plastic bags.

“I am hugely aware that Powys have to make cutbacks wherever possible, but this will not be a money-saving exercise.”

Others have expressed anger at the decision and asked why are they are being asked to pay when there was recently a 9.5% increase in council tax and because they can’t see how it will be cheaper than running the green waste banks.

Brecon resident John Turnock said the move would only really make a difference to him when he cuts his hedges as he does a lot of composting at home.

He said: “When I’m cutting the hedges, I tend to just wheel it down the road to the waste bank on Canal Road. It will make it more difficult for us, but other than that it should be fine.

“I do have a couple of thoughts about the service though, isn’t it going to cost more for them to collect waste every two weeks rather than from the big waste bins?

“And surely it’s going to encourage fly-tipping because people may just dump stuff. Other people might think that because it’s green waste it will compost so the consequences won’t be as severe.”

However one Llandrindod Wells resident commented after the news was shared to the Facebook group Llandrindod Solutions: “£35 to have your garden waste taken away for six months is a bargain is you ask me. It’s completely optional, better than the car stinking of grass cuttings for a month.”

Powys’ Labour Group leader councillor Matthew Dorrance has urged the Conservative and Independent-run council to rethink its decision to scrap the garden waste banks.

In a letter to the cabinet member for waste and recycling, Phyl Davies, he said: “The garden waste banks, like those near the theatre in Brecon, provide a useful and accessible service for many citizens and they are much valued.

“Removing them will inconvenience our residents, makes life more difficult and could result in a rise in fly-tipping when as you know, the council’s fly-tipping clearance costs are already amongst the highest in Wales.

“I acknowledge that the Council has introduced a kerbside garden waste collection but this is a service that residents have to stump up an extra £30-£35 for.

“Not everyone in our communities will be able to afford this and many will rightly question why they should when the Council has just increased Council Tax by 9.5%.”

A Powys spokesman said that those who took part in the autumn consultation who were not interested in the new service said they were either composting at home or taking their garden waste to their nearest recycling centre.

He also said that 83% of respondents felt the £30-£40 charge was acceptable.

Cllr Davies said: “Green waste banks at community recycling sites are unique to Powys but they are unmanned and subjected to regular abuse by fly-tippers and commercial gardeners.

“We do appreciate that this is a change for many users of the garden waste banks but I am confident that the new service will be seen as a more convenient alternative.  Where this service is provided by other councils it is always very popular.”