AN East Lancashire Conservative environment spokesman has urged the government to press head with plans to force councils to collect garden rubbish for nothing.

Cllr Paul Marrow, opposition portfolio holder in Blackburn with Darwen, has urged the borough to scrap its charge for taking green waste from homes controversially introduced in 2017.

He spoke as new figures showed some councils were charging nearly £100 a year.

Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, and Pendle Councils all charge households £30 for a green bin and £30 annually for collecting garden waste, placing them joint 233rd most expensive of 361 councils across the UK which impose fees and joint 13th out of 39 in the North-West.

Figures from the BBC shared data unit show Rossendale charges £35 a year for the service and Ribble Valley collects free after supplying a bin for £39. Blackburn with Darwen Council reduces its annual charge to £25 for homes signing up before February 1.

Ministers are consulting on making garden rubbish collections free nationwide. Harlow in Essex is the most expensive at £96 a year.

Cllr Marrow said: "I think the government should make this service free and Blackburn with Darwen should scrap its much-disliked garden tax immediately. It is penalising people who want to make the borough pleasanter."

Borough environment boss Cllr Jim Smith said: "We introduced this to ensure we could collect garden waste all across the borough and to make up for government cuts. 14,000 household now pay. We have many terraced homes without gardens which should not subsidise bigger households."

Cllr Charlie Briggs, leader of Burnley Council, said: "If the government would provide the funding, we would consider scrapping the charge."

Hyndburn borough leader Cllr Miles Parkinson said: "We think the charge is reasonable and don't see why terraced homes without gardens should subsidise large ones with them. We could not afford to make it free without extra government cash."