Home owners can choose to either keep or get rid of their brown bins when a collection service begins in June.

However, if people get rid of their bin and later change their minds, they will be charged £30 to get it back.

A spokesman for Fenland District Council said: “We are removing brown bins from properties that no longer want them.

“You do not need to contact us - simply leave your empty bin on the usual collection boundary of your property on your scheduled removal date.

“We will not remove bins that have items in them or are labelled with a subscription sticker.

“If you choose to have your brown bin removed and later wish to subscribe to the service, you will be subject to a delivery charge of £30 per bin.

“You may keep your brown bin even if you are not subscribing to the service. However, it remains the property of Fenland District Council and we may ask for it to be returned at a later date.

“Properties that have not subscribed to our garden waste service will no longer have their brown bins emptied.

“Our garden waste service launched on April 3. Unless you have subscribed to the service, your brown bin will no longer be emptied.

“We have scheduled dates for the removal of unwanted brown bins.

“If you change your mind and wish to receive the service, you can subscribe at any time.

“The annual subscription runs until 31 March. If you sign up part way through the year, you will be charged for the full year.

“The subscription will need renewing before next April for the service to continue.”

FDC has suggested alternatives to using your brown bin:

• Cost-price compost bins and food waste digesters. Buy online at getcomposting.com or call 0800 316 4454.

• Take your garden waste to any of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Household Recycling Centres for free.

• If you have a small garden, you could consider sharing the cost of a bin with a neighbour. One household will need to be responsible for the subscription and bin, which will then be collected from this registered property. The agreement to share the bin is between the customers only.

• FDC is removing bins during June and early July. Each property has a scheduled collection date. Visit the FDC brown bin page and type in your postcode to check your collection date.