Waveney residents are facing a charge for the collection of garden waste after a council said it was put in 'an almost impossible position' by a cut to recycling payments.

Waveney District Council (WDC) currently collects organic waste in green-coloured bins - even though it is expensive due to laws around the disposal of food waste.

However after discussions within the Suffolk Waste Partnership - a group of councils working to improve waste management services in the county - Suffolk County Council has announced it will reduce Recycling Performance Payments to the districts and boroughs, worth up to £790,000 per year to Waveney.

That means the cost to Waveney could increase from £800,000 per year to £1.68million - something WDC says is 'not financially viable', particularly when it is already having to deal with large cuts in government funding.

As a result its cabinet has agreed to introduce a charge for its organic waste collection service, although it has not yet been decided how much that will be or when the charge will start.

The decision also means food waste will not be collected as part of that service.

WDC cabinet member for operational services Stephen Ardley - who is also Lowestoft mayor - said the authority was 'taking this decision reluctantly'.

However he said: 'This is the only way to resolve the issues we face in relation to green waste.

'The reduction in county council recycling payments places us in an almost impossible position.

'The cost of the service would balloon to up to £1.68million and, allied to a projected budget deficit for the council of £4.5million by 2016/17, we need to take difficult decisions to protect essential services.'

However, as the council's organic waste processing contract is also due to end, WDC believes it could save money by working with other councils to get the best deal.

Mr Ardley said: 'A new collaborative approach with the other districts and boroughs could save around £2.4million per year.

'At a time when local authorities are continuing to face financial pressures from the ongoing reduction in government funding, this is a proposal which makes good sense.'

Labour opposition group leader Sonia Barker said that there needs to be a renewed push on more recycling.

Matthew Hicks, cabinet member for waste on Suffolk County Council, said at his authority's cabinet meeting this week that a major campaign would be launched to encourage residents to recycle their green waste through home composting, which he said would be better.

'All Suffolk Waste Partnership members agree that we need to look at ways of reducing the volume of waste generated in Suffolk and the associated costs that are a heavy burden on the public purse,' he added in a statement.

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