A green waste collection subscription service introduced by a West London council has fallen short of expectations, with 14,000 fewer residents signing up than anticipated.

Hillingdon Council introduced the £70 subscription for a service that was previously free, in an effort to plug budget shortfalls as the council faces the risk of bankruptcy following "years of overspending and undersaving".

Just weeks ago, the council entered discussions with the government for exceptional financial support.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can now reveal that fewer people have signed up to the subscription service than the council projected. In March, Hillingdon Council expected the policy would raise around £2.5 million.

This was based on an estimate of 35,700 residents signing u

See Full Page