More than 7,000 residents have signed up for Halton Council’s garden waste collection since charges were introduced.

Householders must now pay an annual fee of £30 or £25 if paid online.

Many people complained and pledged to abandon their bins and dump their own garden waste at the tip.

Others say they are paying enough in council tax and begrudge the extra expense.

It currently costs £330,000 a year to collect garden waste from 75 per cent of the borough’s households.

Halton Cllr Stef Nelson, board member for environmental services, said: “The decision to charge for the garden waste service is not one that we have taken lightly. It is one we have been forced to take, faced with the huge cuts to council budgets of £46 million since 2010.”

He said it was impossible to continue offering the service free of charge.

Cllr Nelson said: “I am pleased to see how many people have subscribed.

“It shows that people value the service and that the charge is value for money.

“With the new chargeable service we are giving people choice.

“They can pay the subscription fee to continue to receive collections or they can deposit their waste, free of charge, at either of the two household waste recycling centres provided by the Council.”

From Monday, June 1, the council will only be emptying green bins from homes that have subscribed to the collection service.

To subscribe visit halton.gov.uk/gardenwaste.

If you do not have a computer at home you can use the internet free at many of the council’s buildings.

Alternatively you can pay at any Halton Direct Link or by calling 0303 333 4300.

Residents can still sign up after June 1 but may miss some collections.

The council is looking at other options for householders who do not generate large quantities of garden waste.