Rubbish relaunch plans revisited

The council is to discuss reintroducing the bin guidelines

Plans to relaunch a controversial policy on kerbside rubbish collections in Dumfries and Galloway are set to be discussed by councillors.

The changes were shelved in the face of widespread complaints just days after initially being introduced last month.

Under the guidelines, any extra waste is only taken away if placed in bags supplied by the council at 50p a time.

Residents were angered when refuse collectors refused to take wheelie bins if their lids were not shut properly.

Officials are recommending that the collection policy is reintroduced in February.

Trading deficit

The report on kerbside collection will go before the council's combined services committee on Tuesday.

Committee chairman Sean Marshall insists no changes will be made until an effective strategy is in place.

He is calling for the implementation of a region wide policy on landfill and recycling.

It is estimated that the move could produce annual savings of £100,000 for the combined services department which is facing a trading deficit of more than £500,000.