It's bin decided: Shropshire Council ploughs ahead with garden waste charge and recycling centre bookings

But the Shropshire Council leading member for the environment told Thursday's meeting of the full council that the issues will be 'reviewed' over time.

He said that so far more than 45,000 people have signed up to have their green bins emptied, raising £2.659 million for the council.

The new system will start on October 1 with garden waste only collected from residents who have paid the £56 annual for it.

A petition bearing some 1,800 names was presented to the council by Julie Mitchell who outlined her reasons for calling for a significant reduction to the £56 per year charge for each green bin.

Petitioners also want the council to abandon the booking system for recycling centres which is due to come into place later this year.

Ms Mitchell acknowledged the council's financial position and said she wasn't asking for the charge to be abolished but reduced.

She said the council could raise more cash by charging less per bin.

"Some residents have objected in principle to an additional in year cost," she said and added that there were those who were unable to pay. There is also no way of making payments in instalments.

She added that 59 per cent of people who had responded to the idea of booking to use recycling centres had objected.

"The council is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut," she said.

Councillor Rob Wilson claimed that the decisions had been "rushed" and that some residents would be disposing of waste by using "incinerators in their gardens."

"It was implemented on a cliff edge.

"You need to give a period of grace because people are really worried about what is going on."

Councillor Duncan Kerr added that it was "clearly rushed" and warned that those who "act in haste repent at leisure".

"A difficult decision has been turned into a disastrous one."

Councillor Julia Buckley MP said the petitioner had made a "fantastic argument" that reducing costs can increase income.

Leading Conservative councillor Dan Morris suggested that this was now an argument that the newly elected Labour MP for Shrewsbury could now take up with the Chancellor.

Councillor Kate Halliday claimed that phone help lines had been 'overwhelmed' and residents had been asked to "call back in four days".

Another councillor claimed that a local vicar had been stymied when the payment system did not recognise his 11th century church, and he had been asked whether it was a "new build".

Deputy council leader and environment portfolio holder Ian Nellins said: "It was not a decision that Shropshire Council wanted to make.

"We debated it for four years so it was not hasty. It has been highly consulted on."

He added that the prospect of closing two out of five recycling centres had been "deferred" to give the new booking arrangements a chance to show results.

Councillor Nellins said the move could save the council money by reducing queuing times, encouraging people to take bigger loads and to give staff more time to separate items.

He added that there has been 'no evidence' from other council areas that such moves increase fly-tipping.

Councillor Nellins said though that he recognises that there is "room for improvement".

He said he recognised the petition and thanked the petitioner but said the schemes would continue but to "review it over the course of the period".

The full council voted by 38 votes to 24 to agree with councillor Nellins.