RUBBISH and recycling collection in West Oxfordshire are set to go fortnightly next year, with wheelie bins coming to the district.

From October 2017, recycling collections will become fortnightly and will alternate with the general household rubbish collection. However, food waste will continue to be collected weekly.

As part of the proposed changes, most recycling items that currently go into black boxes will all go into wheelie bins. Glass, however, will still need to be placed in a black box as it has to be collected separately.

A new kerbside collection for small electrical items will also be introduced when the new service starts.

Cllr Richard Langridge, the cabinet member for the environment, said, “In a recent survey, 70 per cent told us they would prefer a wheelie bin for recycling and do not want to sort all their recycling materials. As our residents are amongst the best in the country for recycling, we are keen to introduce any changes that make it easier for them.

“Using wheeled bins for recycling collections will also reduce street litter as materials such as paper and plastics often spill out and catch the wind easily.

“Although recycling collections will become fortnightly, using a wheelie bin with a box for glass gives much greater capacity. Households unable to accommodate a wheelie bin should be assured that we are exploring other container options for them.”

A new charge of £30 a year for garden waste collections is also set to be introduced in April 2017.

For several years West Oxfordshire’s garden waste collections have been free, but the council no longer gets recycling credits for garden waste and so a small charge to cover costs is being made.

Cllr Langridge said, “Residents told us in the survey that it is something they value. Because of this we are very keen to offer it as an optional service with a small annual charge. More information will be available later in the year.”