North Somerset Council’s plans to charge for garden waste collections has proven controversial with readers.

The proposed change would see households fork out £50 to have a 240-litre bin of garden waste collected.

The council believes this will encourage more people to compost their green waste.

And it predicts the move would save the authority £900,000 over the next two financial years.

Cllr Bridget Petty the council's executive member for the environment, said: "As well as encouraging home composting, I am also keen that we explore community composting schemes like the one already established in Winford.

"There might also be the potential for subsidised hot composting equipment which speeds-up the composting process."

The council says its proposed fee mirrors other authorities, adding the majority do charge.

Its spokesman said the average price is £46 a year.

Many took to social media to share their views.

Gareth Saunders said: "I wrote to the council two years ago and was told by them that buying the bin was buying the garden waste collection service.

"Is this an attempt to get paid twice for the same service - and I thought the Tory Council were robbers."

James Morgan Surely added: "That will lead to a rise in fly-tipping or it'll be burned.

"Neither of which are very green it's bad enough already with the smell of smoke from people burning unsuitable things on log burners as it is.

Linda Gibson commented: "Penny pinching councillors, I would rather take our own green waste to the tip then put more money in their ever growing pockets."

Michele Griffiths said: "I have already bought my green bin which we had too if we wanted our garden waste collected.

"So no, I won't be paying any more infact the council can buy my green bin back if they are not going to honour the contract."

Chloe Cooper Fantastic quipped: "I was just thinking the other day that my council tax rate isn't high enough and that I would love to start paying for something extra on top."

Caroline Elkington said: "I think we should all dump our green waste on John Penrose' doorstep."