RESIDENTS in Royal Wootton Bassett, Cricklade and the surrounding villages are being urged to sign up for garden waste collections from Wiltshire Council as the deadline approaches.

More than 37,000 Wiltshire households have so far signed up to pay for garden waste collections. Residents are encouraged to sign up before May 17 to ensure they receive the service from 15 June.

Charges are £40 per year for the fortnightly-collection. That is equivalent to paying about 77p per week.

Toby Sturgis, cabinet member with responsibility for strategic planning, property, waste and strategic housing, said: “Households across the county are signing up for the new service as the deadline approaches at the rate of around 1,000 per day. I would encourage anyone who is intending to sign-up to do so as soon as possible in order to avoid any break in the service during the summer months when gardeners are most likely to need their garden waste collections.”

More details on the changes to garden waste collections are available at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/gardenwaste-faq

Payment can be made by debit or credit card online at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/rubbish-and-recycling/gardenwaste Alternatively you can pay over the phone by calling 0300 456 0102. You could also post a cheque made payable to Wiltshire Council to Waste Management, Wiltshire Council, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8JN. Please write on the back of the cheque your name, the address including the postcode of the property where the bin would be used, your phone number, email address and the words 'garden waste'.