RESIDENTS across Bournemouth could lose their weekly rubbish collections if council bosses agree to a fortnightly scheme which the council says will save nearly £500,000.

A report is due to go before cabinet next Wednesday, December 14, asking members to approve proposals for an alternate weekly collection for refuse bins across the borough.

If approved all standard households in Bournemouth will have their small black bin emptied one week, then their larger recycling bin emptied on the same day the following week.

Food waste will continue to be collected weekly – with all households given the option to upgrade to a larger 23 litre food caddy. The other bins will remain the same size.

The proposals, which would be implemented from April next year if approved, do not include flats with communal bins in the town.

According to Larry Austin, service director for environment, an assessment of flats in the borough will take place next summer to see which ones would be able to accommodate alternate collections.

If the proposals go ahead Bournemouth will join two-thirds of local authorities that operate two-weekly collections.

Mr Austin said: “Both Dorset and Poole now operate fortnightly collections of rubbish and have seen positive improvements to their recycling performance.

“We understand that when it comes to changes to bin collections there are always concerns from householders.

“But we have created a very good model and are taking a pro-active approach with our residents to avoid any of our previous issues with rubbish collections.”

In September hundreds of residents across Bournemouth experienced missed bin collections while the council trialled new routes.

The switch from weekly to fortnightly bin collections will eventually save around £495,000 per year, claimed Mr Austin.

Each tonne of black bin waste costs the council around £75 more to treat, compared to the equivalent weight of recycled waste.

However the proposals would see the number of refuse vehicles used to cover collections reduced – but the council has said that none of its operational staff would be at risk of redundancy because it has been employing a number of agency staff recently.

Cllr Michael Filer, cabinet member for cleansing and waste, said: “We continue to make every effort to protect those frontline services which are valued by residents, but the scale of the savings required means we have to consider changes in the way some services are delivered.”

At Wednesday’s meeting councillors will also be asked to support a review of relevant waste policies including additional bins, excess waste, Bank Holiday collections and Christmas tree collections.