COUNCILLORS have agreed to retain a Garden Waste Service for West Devon Borough Council residents and agreed to introduce a charge on the service for those people who would like to use it, rather than see the service cut.

West Devon Borough Council is joining 75 per cent of authorities in Devon who collect garden waste and already charge for this service. At Full Council, 24 councillors voted in favour of the decision, one voted against and two councillors abstained.

The Leader of West Devon Borough Council, Cllr Philip Sanders, explains: “I am pleased that we will continue to offer this service. Our members did not want to cut this service, and as a discretionary service and in light of our budget pressures this is the right outcome.

“We are faced with a significant budget gap and the decision was clear for me, let’s continue to offer a service to those people who want it. Although in my heart I did not want to introduce a charge for this service, I would rather see an introduction of a charge than lose the service.

Cllr Robert Sampson, Lead Member for Commercial Services said: “We want to be able to offer householders the maximum number of choices to enable them to recycle their garden waste in an environmentally sustainable and cost effective way.

“This decision means that this can still be done through the Council-run garden waste collection service, or by home composting or delivery to a County Council Recycling Centre. Cutting this service would have restricted the options open to our residents and we did not want to do that.”

The details of the charges will be publicised well in advance of the service switching to a charged service.