Summer garden waste charges in Harrow will cover an extra month this year but will cost users an extra £10 as a result.

Harrow Council announced plans to extend its fortnightly summer collection service from April to October, having run from May in 2019/20.

Those who make use of the service will now have to pay £50 as opposed to the previous fee of £40, while those on council tax support will see their charge go from £15 to £20.

The full year service costs remain the same as last year at £75 and £25 respectively.

Those who sign up to the summer service but decide to extend their subscription to an annual one will have to pay an additional fee of £40.

The council scrapped the £5 bin hire option for 2020/21 – first-time subscribers who need a bin will have to pay £30 for one, while replacement bins are the same price.

It has also introduced a £5 discount for those who sign up before February 27 and pay by direct debit.

Cllr Varsha Parmar, responsible for the environment at Harrow Council, said: “With spring approaching soon, many of us will be turning our eye to gardening. So, it’s the perfect time to sign up for our garden waste service.

“This year we’re offering £5 off as a thank you for using our service and we’re also extending the summer service to seven months. So whichever service you subscribe, we promise you’ll reap the benefits.”

According to data from the BBC, Harrow’s garden waste charges were among the top 20 per cent in England last year.

The council explained the decision to charge for garden waste collection was taken in response to cuts from central government on public services.