A new scheme that will see Barnet residents pay £70 a year to have their green bins collected will be in place from April 6.

Residents will shortly receive a leaflet explaining how to sign up and pay for their yearly subscription for the garden waste service.

There will be approximately 23 collections a year. The scheme will charge £70 per year for one bin and £50 for each additional bin per year.

Those who sign up will receive a unique sticker by post that should be applied to the lid of their garden waste bin which will allow collection crews to identify households who have signed up for the service.

From 6 April, the council will only empty green bins displaying a garden waste bin sticker.

On its website, the council said it will be spending the money raised from the charges on environmental services, improving street cleaning and fitting LED bulbs to street lights, and making cost savings.

The council also suggested the garden waste charges will help retain weekly collections of general waste.

The proposal to charge for garden waste collections was agreed by the environment committee on 20 January.

Anyone interested should sign up by March 20 to ensure their first collection after the new service starts on April 6.

Residents can sign up and pay by calling 0208 359 4600 or by signing up online at www.barnet.gov.uk/gardenwaste