There has been fresh anger this week over a “disgusting” £50 charge for green waste collections in Wycombe – as letters informing residents of the controversial decision dropped through the letterbox this week.

There has been fury among residents ahead of a planned decision to launch an “opt-in” garden waste collection charge for residents in the Wycombe area of £50 per bin, per year, from Monday, July 18.

People in the former Wycombe district area are not currently charged, whereas other areas such as the former Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, and South Bucks patches have an opt-in service charging for collection of garden waste.

Buckinghamshire Council said charging Wycombe residents as well as those living in other areas will “harmonise” the service, but there has been widespread anger.

In May, Cllr Alec Barron, of Chepping Wye Parish Council, told the Beaconsfield and Chepping Wye Parish Council the plan was “disgusting”, adding that Wycombe residents should be given a £50 rebate.

There has been fresh anger from Wycombe residents this week as letters started to drop through the door informing them of the plans.

One resident, Leslie Kownacki, told the Bucks Free Press the charge mentioned in the letter, received on June 6 and signed by Bucks Council cabinet member for climate change and environment Cllr Gareth Williams, was “disgraceful”.

Another Wycombe resident who contacted the Free Press, but did not want to be named, said the charge is “totally ridiculous” after an increase in council tax contributions.

They said: “I have emailed the local councillor responsible for sending this letter as I feel that whilst petrol is rapidly approaching £2 a litre (the RAC described this situation as ‘frightening’), council tax is more expensive than ever, the cost of electricity and gas has skyrocketed due to the change in the energy price cap (prices are expected to rise again in October), the cost of food has gone through the roof and a lot of people are feeling the pinch, Buckinghamshire Council are hopping on the bandwagon and implementing a mafia-style protection racket approach to garden waste collection.

“Whilst we are kindly informed we can take the garden waste to the household recycling centre, this does not seem like a feasible alternative.”

Other residents have also shared their fury on social media as letters informing them of the changes drop through the letterbox.

In April, it was revealed the move will generate an estimated additional gross income to the council of between £900,000 and £1,100,000 per year.

In a statement previously given to the Bucks Free Press, Cllr Williams said: “Aligning charges for the garden waste service will ensure parity across all areas and that Buckinghamshire's residents are treated equally.

"Garden waste collection is an optional service, so anyone without a garden or who doesn't want a green waste collection service can simply choose not to sign up, and therefore won't be charged for the service.

“Residents who don't sign up can of course take their garden waste to one of our Household Recycling Centres where it will be recycled free of charge."