ST HELENS Council says that however many garden waste collections are lost while services are suspended will be provided free for subscribers.


St Helens Council has suspended green bin collections until further notice due to the impact on staff levels in the waste and recycling service during the coronavirus pandemic.


The local authority has moved to assure residents that the same number of collections which are lost during the suspension will be provided free once collections are resumed.


In a statement, St Helens Council said: "As residents are aware, we have taken the decision to suspend the garden waste collections until further notice due to the impact of coronavirus on staffing levels within the waste and recycling service.


"Unfortunately, we are unable to say when the garden waste service will resume. However, we can confirm that however many collections are lost while the service is suspended, the same number of collections will be provided free for all subscribers in 2020-21.


"Another way to manage your garden waste is to compost. Composting is a simple method to reduce waste and to create free fertiliser to use on your garden. For more information go to www.sthelens.gov.uk/recycling.


"Please keep referring to the dedicated section of our website sthelens.gov.uk/coronavirus for updates regarding this and our other services."