MORE than 25,000 households have signed up for all year round garden waste collections in the first fortnight, Dudley Council has said. 

The council is charging residents £36 for fortnightly collections from April, with the service only suspended over Christmas.

The first permits have started landing on doormats – but it is not too late to sign up.

To opt into the new service and order a permit visit www.dudley.gov.uk/garden-waste or call Dudley Council Plus on 0300 555 2345.

The annual charge of £36 will be due immediately by debit or credit card.

If residents choose not to opt in no action will be required, but they will no longer receive garden waste collections.

This new service will replace all previous garden waste options.

The move is part of measures to offset budget pressures. 

Dudley News: Cllr Damian Corfield Cllr Damian Corfield (Image: Handout)

Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said: “I am delighted to see that the new extended service for garden waste collections has proved so popular, with thousands signed up already in just a fortnight since we went live with it.

“You can order a permit at any time, but I would urge people to do it sooner rather than later to give you the best chance of not missing out on any of the collections.

“We will be doing all we can to ensure the extended and improved service offers excellent value to our residents.”

If residents do not want to opt into the new garden waste service, an alternative to consider is compost bins which normally retail at £129.99 and are available to Dudley residents for £89.99 including delivery.

For more information, or to order, go to https://www.dudleyrecycles.org.uk/composting.

The fee of £36 will be payable in one lump sum by debit or credit card – the option to pay monthly will not be available.