North Somerset residents can now subscribe to receive garden waste collections.

The service will run from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.

It can be accessed by signing up online at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/gardenwaste.

The subscription fee stands at £60 per garden waste bin, with households allowed up to two bins.

Equally, homes without capacity for bins can obtain three garden waste sacks instead, for the same price of £60, up to a maximum of six sacks per house.

The council will deliver a new permit sticker for each bin to customers who renew their service.

Expected to arrive by post within 15 working days, the addresses will be printed on the permits to assist crews in distinguishing subscribed households.

For garden waste sack customers, one permit tag per every three sacks will be supplied, with customers being asked to write their address on the tags before attaching them to their waste sacks.

The council heavily subsidises the subscription cost for the most financially vulnerable households, applying a discount automatically during sign-up or renewal.

Eligible customers will be charged just £15 per bin or trio of sacks - a 75 per cent reduction.

In-person payments at council offices are not permitted, encouraging customers to turn instead to online options.

For existing customers unable to renew online, assistance from family or friends is suggested, or alternatively the use of library computers.

All North Somerset libraries offer free WiFi and computers for public use.

North Somerset Times: The service will run from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025

Councillor Annemieke Waite, North Somerset Council’s executive member for climate, waste and sustainability, said: "As a council, we’re committed to protecting our environment and becoming carbon neutral by 2030 – and the way we all deal with our garden waste plays an important role here.

"There are several ways residents can responsibly manage their garden waste, such as subscribing to our collection service.

"However, we’d strongly encourage people to compost their garden waste, as this can have significant environmental benefits... Composting at home for just one year can save greenhouse gases equivalent to all the carbon dioxide your kettle produces annually."

The council warns that residents failing to renew their garden waste subscription by the March 31 deadline will cease receiving the service.

Collection dates and other related information can be found on the council's website.