A paid-for garden waste service has been “extremely popular” and has seen the highest level of participation in London, according to Barnet Council.

The council says more than 51 per cent of the green bins previously issued have been signed up to the £70-a-year service, which was rolled out in May following a delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesperson for the council said this “currently represents the highest level of participation in London, which has ranged from 11 to 47 per cent based on the information available”.

The plan to charge for garden waste collections sparked a row when councillors debated the move in January this year, with Labour dubbing it a “Tory garden tax”.

It came after more than 80 per cent of people who responded to a consultation said they opposed the charge. Almost 58 per cent of those currently using the service said they would no longer do so if the levy was introduced, leading to fears of a rise in fly-tipping.

Nearly six months after councillors voted the controversial charge through, a Barnet Council spokesperson said: “The new subscription-based service has proven extremely popular with around 38,400 bins now signed up to the service, which is over 51 per cent of the bins previously issued.

“The council has not seen an increase in fly-tipped garden waste since the new service began. Residents who do not wish to sign up to the service have been advised to either compost or take their garden waste to the reuse and recycling centre.

“The introduction of the service has gone well, and the sign-up rate has exceeded expectations. This currently represents the highest level of participation in London, which has ranged from 11 to 47 per cent based on the information available.”

But Labour environment spokesperson Cllr Alan Schneiderman (Woodhouse) continues to have concerns about subscription service.

Cllr Schneiderman said: “I think it’s a bit misleading to describe the new paid-for green waste collection service as ‘extremely popular’.

“Only half of the residents previously using their green bins have signed up to the new service, and only then because they had no choice.

“It’s unlikely that thousands of residents have taken up composting, and we need to keep a close eye on fly tipping.”

The council says money raised from subscriptions will be used to improve other services such as street cleansing. Details of how to sign up to the service are available at www.barnet.gov.uk/gardenwaste.