MALDON gardeners who have been waiting for up to two years to join the council's garden bin scheme will be pleased to learn it has reopened to new customers.

Residents have not been able to join the garden waste collection scheme since August 2018 after the service reached full capacity – but now a new vehicle and crew have been added to the collection fleet.

A council spokesperson said: "The difficult decision was taken to stop offering the service to new subscribers. Since then, Maldon District Council has been working closely with its contractors (Suez Recycling and Recovery UK) to agree a solution which would allow the service to be expanded and ensure that as many people as possible are able to join."

Anyone who had already expressed an interest has been contacted with details on how to get their green bin and weekly collections in the summer months.

Councillor Adrian Fluker, Leader of Maldon District Council, said; "I am delighted that we can once again offer the garden waste collection service to new subscribers. This proves to be a very popular service that is convenient for gardeners and excellent value for money."

More information on the garden waste collection service, including the fees, is available at Maldon District Council website