A Conservative councillor has blasted plans to introduce charges for garden waste collection as a "stealth tax", after more than 3,500 people signed a petition against the proposal.

But Labour have defended the measures as common practice across the capital, and necessary in the face of biting government cuts.

Croydon Council hopes to begin charging for garden waste collection, currently a free service, from January 1.

Residents would pay £55 for a 140-litre bin or £60 for a 240-litre bin to be collected fortnightly all year-round, with a £10 discount for those signing up before February.

Conservative councillor Phil Thomas, shadow cabinet member for Clean Green Croydon, said: "People are very angry about this. The other day there were another 300 people signed up online.

"We hope that the Labour councillors will listen to the voice of the people, rather than impose another stealth tax. People are already paying for this out of their council tax."

Coun Thomas also dismissed suggestions the charges had been made necesary by Conservative cuts to local government.

He said: "All council's have choices to make. Our view is that this is the wrong choice."

But Coun Stuart Collins, cabinet member for Clean Green Croydon, said: "We’re not alone in this. Nearly every borough in London charges.

"If you have to choose between providing vital services for vulnerable people and children, it’s not difficult to argue that just putting a charge on garden waste for getting your green cuttings collected is as severe a decision."

He added: "Eventually the Government’s got to stop cutting council services. We won’t have any services left."

The proposal will be debated at the next council cabinet meeting on October 20.

 

We asked shoppers in Croydon town centre: With the council planning to charge residents to collect their garden waste, what is the most that you would be willing to pay for this service?

Your Local Guardian:

(From left)

William Vanderpuye, 37, Teacher, East Croydon

"I'm willing to pay about £20 a year, because I think that is fair. Of course, we pay quite a lot of money for council tax and for other things and I think it’s unfair for them to charge even more than £20 a year."

Susan Miller, 63, Scope volunteer, Sanderstead

"For a start I don’t want those horrible bins. I've got enough bins in my front garden so....£30. I would pay £30 a year but I would still want the bags. I do not want bins anymore in the front garden. Nothing looks worse than all these bins stacked up."

Francois Lai-Hoo-Kan, 78, Retired, Upper Norwood

"We pay enough, we pay enough now for them to take it away. If they are asking us then we don’t want to pay anything, of course I would rather not."

Your Local Guardian:

Sarah Dale, 23, Full-time mum, Addiscombe

"Nothing! why should you pay to dispose of your rubbish? Everyone has rubbish. It will just cause people to just chuck it anywhere to get rid of it."

Chirag Patel, 48, Life counsellor, Wallington

"£3 a week. The reason being is you don’t have green waste every day. If you make removal too expensive, people won’t pay for it you know. It wouldn't be fair."

David Bryars, 30, Church worker, New Addington

"It depends how much waste I guess. Maybe a tenner? Just because it wouldn't be too extreme. Its not too much but I guess it would come down to how much waste you had. I guess £10 seems not too bad.

"Although if you have only have one bag and still have to pay £10 it does seem quite a lot."