Time is running out to sign up for garden waste collections in Northampton, Daventry and south Northamptonshire

Residents have just three weeks left to sign up for garden waste collections in Northampton, Daventry and south Northamptonshire.

The £42-a-year subscription service kicks off on April 4 for those who want the council to empty their gardens bins fortnightly.

West Northamptonshire councillors voted to extend the opt-in scheme to those in the former South Northamptonshire district, where garden waste collections has been paid for as part of the council tax.

The last free collections will be in weeks commencing March 28.

Councillor Phil Larratt, the council’s highways and waste portfolio holder, said: “Extending the service across the whole of West Northamptonshire is a further step towards ensuring that all of our residents receive fair and equal services no matter where they live.

"We realise this is a change for our south Northamptonshire area residents, but we are doing everything we can to make the transition as smooth as possible.

“I would encourage residents to remember to subscribe if they wish to receive garden waste collections for the year ahead.

"The quickest and most popular way to sign up is on our website using a debit or credit card, but anyone who can’t access the internet or doesn’t feel confident doing so can also phone us on our main number or pop along to our offices where we’ll be happy to guide them through the process.

“Due to large demand there are times that the website and phone lines can be particularly busy, but there’s still plenty of time to subscribe so I would encourage residents to try again later if this happens."

West Northamptonshire assumed responsibility for all waste services following last year's local government shake-up.

Residents in the former Northampton Borough Council and Daventry District Council areas were already paying for garden bins to be emptied.

The change means that only those who use the service, pay for it.

Click HERE for more information and how to pay