Readers have their say on South Tyneside Council's green bin saga website twist
Just one in five households from the 50,000 in the borough who were receiving the service free have so far paid up for an ‘earlybird’ £25 discount fee to have their green bins, containing garden waste, collected.
As a result South Tyneside Council has extended the offer from December 31 to January 31 in the hope more people will sign up.
After that, people will have to pay £30 a year.
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Hide AdBut the council’s own website says garden waste can be put in the regular grey bins - and many are taking the view that there’s no need to pay the ‘green bin’ fee.
Some readers who took to our Facebook page say they feel let down because they have already signed up.
Sarah Pascoe said: “I’m furious. I’ve paid for three years!”
Maureen Huntley said: “Thanks council. Wish I’d read the small print! Don’t suppose there’s a chance of a refund is there?”
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Hide AdHowever others felt they had no choice but to pay due to the size of their gardens.
Elizabeth Hyde said: “I have no choice I have a large corner garden and an established small back garden with bushes and a tree I only hope it will be recycled.”
James Lister said: “Not an option for me. My grey bin is full by the end of the two-week period it gets emptied. Adding the green bin waste would have it overflowing.”
Emma Stewart said: “No room in our grey bin for garden waste, we have paid up for 3 years at discounted price, don’t see the problem?”
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Hide AdNeil Blackbird Sims had little sympathy for those who had already paid up.
He said: “It serves them right they should have engaged their brains before blindly paying up.
“ Popple like that spoil any possibility of unity amongst the people over this issue it makes me sick.”
But Gemma N Dean Long pointed out: “Not everyone has a choice - not lack of unity.
“Far too much garden rubbish and my grey bins get too full each week.”