The collection of garden waste looks set to continue in Three Rivers but potential charges for the service should be limited to £35, a committee has warned.

A proposal which could see people charged up to £70 a year for the collection of green waste was put out to consultation by Three Rivers District Council.

More than 4,000 people responded to it and 78 per cent said they would rather pay for garden waste to be collected than see it scrapped.

Of the 4,169 who responded to the survey, 1,083 people said they would be prepared to pay £70.

The consultation revealed 3,168 people would be prepared to pay up to £35 a year, while 1,959 supported up to £50 a year.

Some residents have described the proposal as “just another form of tax” and others fear it could lead to further problems, such as more clogged up drains.

Three Rivers District Council’s General Public Services and Community Safety Committee agreed that the collection of Green Waste should continue, but any potential charges should be limited to £35.

The final report and decision will be made on Monday, December 7 by the council’s Policy and Resources Committee.

Chairman of the Oxhey Hall Residents Association David Hall described the consultation as “fundamentally flawed”, saying the consultation only presented different levels of a potential charge, rather than “other creative options” which may prevent a charge being introduced.

He added: “One suggestion we have come up with is to reduce the weekly recycling to once a fortnight and use the savings to pay for the collection of garden waste once a fortnight.

“If the recycling bins are only half full, as we suspect they are, this suggestion would be justified.”

Mr Hall also argued proposals could lead to an increase in fly-tipping.

Councillor Phil Brading, chairman of the committee, told the council: “There was overwhelming support for the continuing of the service and not abolishing it and there is also a considerable degree of feeling that if we do introduce the charge, it should be kept to a minimum.”

Councillor Len Tippen, Labour representative for South Oxhey, told the committee: “Everyone I have spoken to thought they already paid for it with their council tax.”

Cllr Brading agreed council tax does cover the collection of waste.

But he argued the collection of garden waste was not a statutory duty, in the same way that domestic waste collection is, and said the council had introduced free garden waste collection when the wheelie bins were introduced seven years ago.

But the council’s financial position has forced the council to consider either scrapping the collection of green waste. Council officers argue it costs £95 per household to collect garden waste for free in the district.

Councillor Reena Ranger, Conservative Representative for Moor Park, voted with the Liberal Democrats to agree the motion, while the Conservatives and Labour’s Len Tippen abstained.