Wheelie small bins on way?

The plans, which were heard in Cabinet but closed to the public, were in relation to the tendering of new waste management contracts.

The scheme includes plans to provide residents requesting new wheelie bins with bins of a lower capacity.

The average wheelie bin in Calderdale can currently hold 240 litres, but the proposed replacements will hold 180 litres - a 25 per cent reduction.

Coun Scott Benton (Con, Brighouse) said: “On the whole we support the new waste management scheme the Council is proposing, but as with all of these things the devil is in the detail.

“A couple can easily fill a wheelie bin within a fortnight - so a reduction in capacity is obviously of concern.”

Labour’s deputy council leader Barry Collins said: “The reason for that is because of the sheer success of the Council’s recycling programme.”

The proposals also outline plans to allow individuals to request garden waste bins, but residents will have to pay an annual fee for the service.

Calderdale Council’s Conservative leader Stephen Baines, said:“There are quite a few people who have been calling for garden waste collection, but asking everyone to pay that through their Council Tax is too much to ask.

“Those that really want it will be able to request it for a small annual charge - and I think that’s a fair way of dealing with it.”

Coun Collins was angry that someone had released details of the proposals to the public.

He said: “These papers were confidential - it is just trying to cause trouble.

“To leak commercial documents to the press is completely outrageous considering the discussions are still ongoing.”