A decision to scrap plans to charge for green bin collections in carlisle has been welcomed by taxpayers - and defended by councillors who proposed it.

Carlisle City Council told the News & Star 's sister title, The Cumberland News , that they were no longer going ahead with a scheme which would've seen an end to free garden waste collections, instead charging householders £30 a year for the service.

The Labour-led authority blamed budget pressures for originally considering it, stressing that it was not a statutory service.

But opposition councillors and many local residents were unhappy with the idea, claiming it would not be affordable to some families.

It was branded a "garden tax" and 400 people signed a petition against the charges.

Commenting on the News & Star's Facebook page, residents welcomed the fact it would no longer be going ahead.

Eddie Haughan wrote: "Smart move - saves paying to clear up the inevitable fly-tipping."

Sara Crook commented: "Good, at least they took notice this time."

And John Hodgson said: "Too right. You pay enough in tax already."

But behind the scenes a political row has broken out about situation.

In response to the decision by the Labour group, the Carlisle Conservative party issued this statement: "Their omnishambles policy has been widely panned by members of the public, and as Conservative councillors we have been against this charge.

"The decision to ditch this policy whilst being the result we wanted highlights the completely chaotic and dysfunctional way in which Carlisle City Council’s Labour leadership operate with council taxpayers money."

They added: "Senior officers and the leadership need to learn from this shambles and realise that stealth charges on recycling has no place in Carlisle."

The Conservatives also alleged they were told by Labour at a meeting on Tuesday night that the scheme would go ahead from April, a claim strongly refuted by Colin Glover, leader of the council.

"That claim is blatantly dishonest, nobody said in any private meeting 48 hours before that we were going to go ahead," he told the News & Star .

"What was said by the portfolio holder was that he knew what he was minded to do."

The meeting on Tuesday night was a briefing with a council officer in which all elected members were invited, so they could present the scheme before a final decision was made, said the council leader.

Mr Glover hit back by saying the Conservatives were the "real shambles" and that they were only considering the scheme to help make savings imposed on them because of central Government cuts.

"We have been listening, we have always said we are a listening council," he added.