A CONSULTATION into green waste recycling services across the district received just 78 responses.

The discretionary waste garden disposal service provided by Braintree Council will be suspended from December to February, traditionally the quietest time for such waste.

The council justified the decision by saying 67 per cent of respondents to a survey publicised last year had voted in favour of a suspension of the service.

However, only 78 people responded, meaning just 52 people across the whole of the district voted in favour of the changes.

Tina Townsend, a resident of Witham, said: “I appreciate there is a limited amount of waste produced in the winter months but I don’t think a decision should be made on only 78 responses; I would be interested to hear how the survey was distributed?”

The consultation was advertised in a residents’ magazine, which the council says was distributed across the district last November.

Other options explored included specific charges for the service or a complete closure.

Roy Hutley, from Braintree, said: “I have more garden waste in winter with all the leaves and I clear all of the parking area of leaves in our courtyard so this will affect us a lot.”

Caroline Walker, from Witham, added: “I have a lot of rubbish that I have to cut back from my neighbour’s garden as it all grows over my fences – I pay council tax so I’m entitled to have it taken away.”

The move will save Braintree Council, which is seeing its government funding gradually axed, around £35,000 a year.

A council spokesman said: “The consultation was promoted last year through a double-page spread entitled ‘Balancing the budget’ within our residents’ magazine Contact, which is distributed directly to residents’ homes.

"The consultation was also sent to more than 2,800 businesses and to the People’s Panel, which is made up of 455 residents.”