The charge for garden waste collection in west Suffolk will rise by £3 for the coming year, the council has announced.

A leaflet will be delivered to 30,000 customers of the West Suffolk Garden Waste Collection Service over the next two weeks as a reminder that brown bin subscriptions for the 2019-20 year are due.

St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Forest Heath District Council, which will merge to form West Suffolk Council next month, say despite the small increase from £40 to £43, the charge is still the lowest in the county.

Last year, 12,000 tonnes of good quality soil improver was produced from the service to be used on land and in parks, according to the councils.

The quality was down to the care taken by customers to put the right material in the bin.

Peter Stevens, cabinet member for operations at St Edmundsbury Borough Council, said: “Quality helps us keep down the cost of composting the waste. “However, the charge for the garden waste collection service, which has been held for the past three years, needs to cover costs to ensure that it is not subsidised by people who don’t use it.

“We are therefore introducing a small increase, which at £43 a year, is the lowest cost in the county and still reflects very good value.”

David Bowman, cabinet member for operations at Forest Heath District Council, said: “The leaflet is a courtesy reminder at the busy start of the gardening year, not to miss a collection through omitting to sign up by March 29.

“Many customers automatically renew through direct debit, and we encourage others to consider this for the convenience and complete control of your subscription it gives.

“Those for whom we do not have an email address, have received a letter in the post.”