SLOUGH’S Conservative leader has said the proposed £50 garden waste collection charge forces residents to pay “bit-by-bit” for the council’s financial woes.

Senior councillors are to decide next Monday to start charging residents subscribed to the green waste collection service, which is currently free, in an effort to raise funds.

Slough Borough Council is needing to make £20m yearly savings until 2029 and sell up to £600m-worth of its assets in order to reduce its £760m borrowing debt and £479m blackhole.

Conservative leader Dexter Smith (Colnbrook with Poyle) said this £50 charge “highlights” the Labour-run council’s strategy to force residents to pay “bit-by-bit” for their past mistakes.

READ MORE: Slough garden waste collection service could see £50 charge

Bins have been overflowing across Slough as collections are either late or missed due to staff shortages. Cllr Smith questioned if the £50 charge would be invested to improve the service.

He said: “In such circumstances, it is hard to have faith that this proposed charge on green waste collection will improve missed deliveries or deliver value for money for residents without fundamental changes in the Council’s approach and organisation.”

The council is also considering swapping its weekly bin collection to fortnightly in a bid to save cash.

READ MORE: Slough swapping to fortnightly bin collections 'on the cards'

Cllr Smith said if the local authority is going down that route, it must introduce weekly collections of food waste to “avoid public health concerns”.

He said: “The introduction of food waste collections will require the council acquiring new collection vehicles and new bins. Residents need, and deserve, to see the whole picture – not a bit-by-bit patchwork – to judge if this makes sense and will deliver the value for money they are entitled to.”