Carlisle councillor says he would accept any Government cash for weekly bin collections

Carlisle City councillor Chris Southward spoke after Environment Secretary Michael Gove mooted moves for household bin collections to return to a weekly basis.

The minister wants to make it an obligation for local authorities to provide weekly pick-ups of food waste and free bins for green waste collection.

In most parts of Carlisle district, bin collections are currently carried out on a fortnightly basis.

The frequency of collections has been an issue for debate in some parts of Cumbria.

Mr Gove said authorities would get more money from the Government to pay for the increased frequency of collections.

But Labour politician Mr Southward, who holds the city council’s environment portfolio, said : “Here in Carlisle, we have a very successful fortnightly waste scheme, which started in 2007.

“Overflowing bins are not the case in the city, and a wide variety of waste is recycled.

“We do, however, have weekly collections using gull-proof sacks.

“In terms of the money, [if offered it] we’re not going to turn it down, but I very much doubt we would get it.”

“We have a very good record currently and we always look to improve on what we have.”

Ministers, meanwhile, are also consulting on bringing in a deposit return scheme for drinks bottles and cans, to boost recycling rates and cut litter, and for a tax on plastic packaging which has less than 30 per cent recycled content.

Under the plans household recycling, which currently varies from council to council, would become more consistent.

Glass bottles and containers, paper and card, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, and steel and aluminium tins and cans would be collected from all homes.

The colours of the bins to collect recycling, food and garden waste and rubbish could also be standardised.

Mr Gove said the proposals would also make Britain a leader in turning its back on a “throw-away” society.

He said: “Through our plans we will introduce a world-leading tax to boost recycled content in plastic packaging, make producers foot the bill for handling their packaging waste, and end the confusion over household recycling.”

While some are advocated a deposit return scheme targeted at on-the-go drinks containers, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) called for a comprehensive scheme.

Other environmental groups have welcomed the move.

Samantha Harding, litter programme director at CPRE, said: “By introducing a deposit system that accepts and collects every single can and bottle, Michael Gove has a golden opportunity to end growing scepticism around current recycling methods by boosting recycling rates of drinks cans and bottles to near perfection.

“This would make such a difference to the health of our environment and relieve struggling local councils of the huge financial burden of waste management by making those who produce these vast amounts of packaging rightfully liable for the costs of dealing with it.”