DUDLEY Council's charges for a second bin for garden waste are among the highest in the country, according to a BBC investigation.

Keen gardeners have to fork out £101.51 to buy a second bin and cover the annual cost of collecting the extra green waste in the first year - research by the BBC's Shared Data Unit has revealed.

Solihull and Wycombe in Buckinghamshire are the only local authorities that charge more for a second bin and additional collection service - with their fees standing at £122 and £112 respectively.

Critics say gardeners are being increasingly punished and Anthony O'Sullivan, managing director of the Gardeners Club - a free online group for gardeners, has described the additional charges for the collection of green waste as a "quiet green-garden tax".

Dudley and Sandwell councils say they offer free collections for the first bin to help residents keep their gardens in order - whereas some local authorities issue charge a fee.

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley's cabinet member for environmental, highways and street services, said: “We know our residents welcome our green waste provision, which provides free fortnightly collections for one bin from spring through to autumn when the majority of garden waste is created.

“Many residents also compost at home which is another way to dispose of garden waste. A second green bin is available to any resident but we do charge to collect a second bin each year."

Dudley Council said its £101.51 second bin charge covers the purchase of a new second brown lidded bin and the annual cost of collecting the additional green waste bin each year and a spokesman confirmed: "The annual cost for the collection of the second bin thereafter is £71.62 per annum or £35.84 for part year (from July 1 until the end of the season). This is comparative with other authorities."

However - Andi Mohr, chairman of Dudley Green Party, said of the charges: "Dudley Council needs to improve when it comes to recycling and sustainable living. Instead of offering additional green waste bins at a higher than average cost, it should be helping people to compost things like grass cuttings, hedge trimmings and vegetable peelings by providing compost bins and information on how to get good results for the benefit of nature in our gardens."

In neighbouring Sandwell the cost of buying a second bin is £41 with no additional annual charge for the service - according to the investigation which looked at data from council websites and press offices.

Councillor Maria Crompton, Sandwell Council's cabinet member with responsibility for waste and recycling, said: “We are very proud of our free garden waste collection service, which runs fortnightly throughout the year apart from 12 weeks during the December to February period.

“Collecting garden waste is not a statutory service and we know that some councils do charge for these collections – however, we’re pleased in Sandwell to offer a free collection service that helps residents keep their gardens neat and tidy. It’s also free for residents to bring garden waste to the tip in Oldbury.

“There is a one-off charge for any additional garden waste bins but this just helps to cover our costs and is reasonable when we provide the first bin free of charge. We will collect up to three garden waste bins per property free of charge on each garden waste collection day.”

Please note: We would like to point out that while Dudley Council originally provided borough residents with green bins free of charge when it first rolled out its garden waste scheme the authority does, however, issue a fee of £29.89 for administration and delivery of a green waste bin to owners of new build homes or in cases where bins have been lost, damaged or stolen.