Unpopular charges for Kent householders to dispose of DIY waste are to end on New Year's Eve, it has been announced.

The government introduced fees for rubbish, such as rubble, in 2016 to a public outcry.

Critics said the fees would drive up instances of fly-tipping on roadsides and private land.

The charges affected people using Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), run by Kent County Council (KCC).

KCC has stated that from December 31 2023, residents can get rid of some DIY waste free of charge due to changes in government regulations, announced in June.

But KCC has warned: "There are limits on the frequency of your visits and the amount you can get rid of, as our household waste recycling centres cannot accept all waste free of charge."

Thanet KCC member Cllr Barry Lewis welcomed the lifting of charges.

He said: "It was never anything more than a Tory stealth tax and when the government realised how unpopular they were and realised there was an increase in fly-tipping, they reversed it.

"I opposed the charges from the start because the cost of clearing up fly-tipping falls on the district and borough councils and they couldn't afford the extra demand it created."

Within limits, there are no longer charges for the following items:

- breeze blocks, bricks, cement, concrete, drainpipes, flagstones, granite, marble, paving slabs;

- ceramic bathroom and kitchen items (baths, bidets, cisterns, shower trays, sinks, toilet pans, wash basins);

- hardcore, rubble, gravel, rocks, sand, stones, soil;

- plasterboard - one sheet of plasterboard counts as one black bag;

-plastic kitchen units, non-ceramic sinks and baths and doors

- tiles (ceramic, clay, slate).

Tip users are limited to no more than four visits over a four-week period with DIY waste; one large item up to 200cm x 75cm in size (vehicle restrictions still apply) or 2x50-litre bags (standard black bag).

Until now, KCC has been able to charge up to £7.50 for the disposal of plasterboard, £5 for sand or rubble and £3 for a single tyre.

Earlier this year, Mike Sims of the landowners’ body Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said there were 100,000 fly-tipping instances in 2021/22 in the south east alone.

In Folkestone & Hythe, cases rose by 52% (from 1,779 instances to 2,706) while in Maidstone, there was in rise of 16% (from 2,952 instances to 3418) in that time-frame.

In June, environment minister Rebecca Pow announced the reversal of the charges imposed on tips.

The minister claimed the move would support householders to dispose of their waste in a responsible manner and encourage recycling.

She said: "We want to make it as easy as possible for people to dispose of their waste properly and that’s why we are removing the financial burden on doing the right thing with DIY trash.

"This not only supports our wider work to tackle fly-tipping and waste crime, but we are helping home improvers across the nation make their dream projects a reality."

Plans to shut four of Kent council-run tips have been shelved after KCC's own ruling Tory members rebelled.

Some Conservatives were worried that the issue of closures could become politically "toxic" when voters go to the polls in 2025.

But the administration has indicated the proposals are still on the table in a bid to shave £1.5m off running costs.

KCC, like many local authorities, is having to make tens of millions of pounds in savings in the face of rising costs and falling revenues from the government.

KCC planned shut four of six Kent tips - in Faversham, Tovil, Deal, Richborough, Dartford and Swanley - but sparked a furious public backlash.

It also prompted a planned consultation, which was due to start in the summer, to be put on hold.