FRESH questions are being asked about a move by the city council's new leadership to scrap the private outsourcing of Worcester's bin collections.

The opposition Conservative group has challenged Labour over axing the proposals, saying it has "immediately driven a £400,000 hole" into the budget.

As the Worcester News revealed last month, one of the first big moves of the Labour cabinet last month was to dump the controversial idea.

The old Tory leadership had spent over 12 months hatching a plan to hand bin pick-ups, street cleaning and park maintenance to the private sector from September 2017.

The outsourcing abandonment has saved 111 jobs, but it now means the hoped-for savings of £400,000 a year must be found in other ways.

The issue came up during a full council meeting where Tory Councillor Chris Mitchell, a former city council deputy leader, called for answers.

"Having made a pact with the Greens and wangled your way back into power, you find yourself with a balanced budget and a healthy financial position," he said.

"In making the decision to cancel the outsourcing of cleaner and greener you've immediately driven a £400,000 hole into that budget.

"When will you be demonstrating your plan to fill this hole?"

Labour Councillor Joy Squires, the council's deputy leader, said the leadership would reflect on the decision once it had been examined by the scrutiny committee.

The decision can only be finalised once the committee, which is independent of the leadership, has had the chance to probe the implications.

She said: "There's a scrutiny call-in around the service, and if that decision to end the process stands, details on the savings will come forward as part of the budget process later this year.

"Income generation is one of our top priorities as an administration, and we'll be bringing forward some proposals in the autumn."

During the debate Labour Councillor Adrian Gregson, the leader, also insisted his relationships with council leaders in Malvern and Wychavon were still strong.

The two other authorities wanted to join up with Worcester in the private sector outsourcing of bin collections, only to be rebuffed.

Councillor Gregson told the chamber he still had "excellent relations" with them, despite deciding to keep the service in-house.