RESIDENTS in Sedgemoor are subject to the joint highest annual garden waste collection charge in the South West, research had claimed.

According to Mantis, Sedgemoor District Council charges residents £53 per year to have their green bin emptied once per fortnight.

This is 30% higher than the average fee in the region, which is £40.82, and 28% more expensive than the British average, which is £41.31.

Taunton Deane Borough Council also charge the same amount.

Dubbed the 'garden bin tax', the cost was introduced by Sedgemoor District Council back in 2006.

Mantis revealed that the number of British councils charging for garden waste collection has doubled in the last five years.

David Goose, managing director at Mantis, said: "We hope that garden waste collection charges are encouraging more people to take up home composting, which is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of organic waste.

"However, there have been concerns that fees will increase fly-tipping, make recycling sites too busy, or divert more recyclable waste to landfill."

Sedgemoor District Council stated that the garden waste collection service is a discretionary service.

A spokesperson said: "There are many households in the district who do not have a garden and therefore do not want or use the service.

"Garden waste collections were introduced in 2006- before that date any garden waste was included with other waste which was going into expensive landfill.

"Over the past ten years, the need to recycle has increased.

"In 2006, the charge was introduced at a relatively low figure to encourage take up of this new service.

"This has increased over ten years to full cost recovery.

"The true cost of the 25 collections per year is £53.

"This is what the service costs to provide and this is what customers are asked to pay.

"If the Council did not charge the full cost, then those residents who choose not to receive the service would be paying for it (subsidising it) through their council tax payments."

Customers don't have to use the service and can opt for their own method.

Sedgemoor’s garden waste is turned into revive soil conditioner.

Councillor Leigh Redman said: "To charge a large fee is supposed to encourage more home recycling, but developers are making gardens smaller.

"This is a double negative to residents.

"With no space to recycle garden waste, residents in Sedgemoor are being hit disproportionately.

"Is it not sensible to reduce the charge and encourage more to take up the bins?

"We are already seeing an increase in fly tipping locally and high charges leave some residents with little choice