A LOCAL authority is to increase its controversial annual charge for collecting 'green' garden waste from households by £5 a year.

Blackburn with Darwen Council currently charges between £35 and £40 a year to collect the brown bins but from April 1 the fee will rise from £40 to £45.

The authority's environment boss Cllr Jim Smith has confirmed the increase in an executive decision.

It will raise £66,000 a year.

Blackburn with Darwen Conservative group leader Cllr John Slater said: "We have always said this service should be free."

In a report to colleagues Cllr Smith says "The cost associated with the delivery of the garden waste collection service has significantly increased, including vehicle costs and staffing and fuel costs.

"The council is also having to manage financial challenges due to inflationary pressures on budgets which are unfunded.

"Residents have a statutory right to have their general refuse collected, but councils do not have to provide a free garden waste collection service.

"As a result, many councils across the country have introduced a charge for garden waste collection.

"Blackburn with Darwen Council introduced a charge for garden waste collection in 2016/17 in order to recover the costs of providing a collection service for those residents who have a garden and who want the council to remove their green waste.

"Since starting the garden waste collection service, the council has always offered an ‘early bird ' discount of £5 for residents who subscribe to the service before the end of January each year.

"Those residents who subscribe to the service from February 1 or thereafter each year, pay and additional £5 charge.

"The garden waste collection charges for 2023/24 are £35 including an early bird discount for residents who subscribe to the service by January 31 and £40 for residents who subscribed to the service on or after February 1.

"The garden waste collection charges for 2024/25 are £40 including an early bird discount for residents who subscribe to the service by January 31 and £45 for residents who subscribe to the service on or after February 1.

"An option to not increase charges for garden waste collection was considered, this was rejected because the costs of delivering the service have increased, including increased vehicle, staffing and fuel costs.

"The additional £5 charge would generate an additional £66,000 income in 2024/25 if the council maintains the same level of subscriptions received in 2023."