CASH-STRAPPED Dudley Council has been accused of leading the electorate up the garden path after announcing charges for picking up green waste and an end to weekly bin collections.

The controversial plans will see residents charged £30 a year for green waste collections and household rubbish and recycling being collected on alternate weeks.

Conservative shadow cabinet member for environment Councillor Karen Shakespeare said: "I am absolutely appalled because throughout the election campaign we were told there were no plans for charging for green waste collections.

"It is outrageous that they are stopping weekly black bag collections because that is what people pay their council tax for."

She added: "They have led the electorate up the garden path with this one and I will fight it all the way."

The council will save £2.3million with the changes to the waste collections but promised "a first class collection service despite the changes."

Councillor Hilary Bills, cabinet member for environmental services, said: “These changes are about making sure people still have a first class collection service while dealing with significant reductions in funding from national government.

“We do not have to run a free green waste collection but we recognise it is popular with people and helps generate valuable compost. The small charge we are proposing will help continue this service and I would urge people to sign up to the scheme."

She added: “People will still have a collection every week under these proposals, alternating between general waste and recycling which will hopefully encourage people to think about recycling more.

"It means that each will have a fortnightly collection.”

Alternate collections between waste and recycling will be introduced under the new scheme meaning residents will still get one collection each week, alternating between general waste and recycling.

If approved, the charge to the green waste service will be introduced in February next year. It aims to save up to £1.34million by 2020 making the service cost neutral to the council.

The alternate weekly collections will be in place by April 2017 and save the authority £1million and council chiefs hope it will boost the amount of recycling the borough produces.

The plans will be discussed at Dudley Council's cabinet meeting on June 29.