Labour leaders at The Guildhall have hit out at plans to limit the number of rubbish bags 22,000 households in Northampton can put out each week.
As part of a bid to get tough with people who fail or refuse to recycle, Northampton Borough Council has revealed it will fine and prosecute households who put out two or more bins every week.
The move, which will come into force from September 16, will hit properties that don’t use wheelie bins, where residents will be limited to two green sacks per household.
Labour’s Councillor Gareth Eales (Labour, Spencer) claimed two bags of rubbish will not be enough for some families and will lead to an increase in fly-tipping.
He said: “I have had a number of residents contact me to express their strong disapproval since this story broke. I have been contacted not just by residents in Spencer but also in Kings Heath and St James which I represent on the county council.
“Northampton Borough Council and Enterprise must drop this policy for two reasons.
“The first is that residents don’t want it and two it is likely to be unworkable. Two green sacks per household is for many just not enough and I fear that we may see an increase in fly tipping and a host of other environmental problems due to this.
“What about those living in flats or houses with multiple occupancy? How will Enterprise know who has put more than two green sacks out for the week when rubbish is put into communal areas?
“I understand the need to reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill, but it needs to be a policy and an approach that works. This I fear isn’t it.
“The reason we are told this came about is when the contract was being set up under the previous Lib Dem administration, in their tender submission Enterprise proposed to limit the number of sacks being collected from those properties that receive sack collections in the hope this might encourage recycling.
“It was wrong for the previous Lib Dem administration to allow this to be put into the contract and it is a big misjudgment on the Tories part in not being able to foresee the problems it will cause.
“I hope Enterprise and Northampton Borough Council reconsider as this will cause problems for many people.”