GARDEN waste collections will return to Allerdale homes from next week.

They will return as normal on a fortnightly basis, meaning the first collection will be either the week beginning from Monday, or March 9, depending which round the household is on.

The council recently consulted on possible changes to its waste collection service after it transfers to the authority’s trading company at the beginning of April.

One of the options was whether to charge for garden waste service, however the executive agreed in its budget proposals for 2020-21 not to introduce a charge.

Collections will continue every fortnight until December.

The council is not providing printed bin calendars to residents this year, as part of its digital transformation agenda. The calendar is available on the council's website.

Once the garden waste is collected, it goes to the facility at Hespin Wood near Carlisle, where over an eight-week period it is turned into compost.

Councillor George Kemp, executive member with responsibility for environmental services, said: “The weather hasn’t been very spring-like recently but with March upon us it’s time when the gardens start to show their first signs of life after winter. So we’d encourage everyone to make use of the garden waste collection service, not least because it also results in a really good compost.”

Residents are advised to check their collection day on the council’s website: www.alledale.gov.uk/bincollections. If a collection is missed, users can report it to the council on this page too.

Cllr George Kemp, Executive member with responsibility for environmental services, said: “The weather hasn’t been very spring-like recently but with March upon us it’s time when the gardens start to show their first signs of life after winter. So we’d encourage everyone to make use of the garden waste collection service, not least because it also results in a really good compost.”