THE contentious issue of wheelie bins will be back on the agenda in Malvern this week – with concerns councillors are being pressured into rubber-stamping their introduction.

Last month Malvern Hills District Council delayed a decision on the future of waste collection amid calls for more time to consider options.

However councillors are still being recommended to approve fortnightly wheelie bin collections for recyclables as the way forward.

In his report, MHDC leader David Hughes says this will be the best way to ensure weekly black bag collections for household waste can be retained while fulfilling the council’s duty to provide a glass collection service.

A decision needs to be made next week so that MHDC can get its bid for £1.54 million into the government’s Weekly Collection Support Scheme before Friday’s deadline, August 17.

Councillor Tom Wells, leader of the opposing Lib Dem/Green group, fears the recommendations will be voted through because of the time pressures.

“If this is turned down then people will say that we have turned down the opportunity for government funding,” he said.

“But I am outraged we have not had the opportunity to consider some real options – there are so many different methods for collecting waste but for me this has been local government at its worst.

We’ve rushed into a scheme without full consultation and without examining many options at all.”

Various additions – such as glass recycling boxes and even the continuation of bag collections – for properties that are hard to reach or where there are safety issues are being recommended.

But Coun Wells fears such a system could cause “utter chaos”.

He also voiced concerns over downgrading the service offered to residents, cluttered streets and wheelie bin capacity.

“If you look at what people are already putting out in their recycling every week and then double it, that is an awful lot of waste to be collected,”

he said. “I genuinely worry we will see bins overflowing before the end of the fortnight.

“Wheelie bins also clutter up the landscape and visually dominate. I anticipate a large public outcry if this goes ahead.”

Paul Tuthill, the council’s Tory chairman, called wheelie bins “totally inappropriate”.

“We are a Victorian spa town and we don’t want wheelie bins sitting outside houses. You can also see in five years’ time there being pressure for more wheelie bins to replace the black bags,” he said. “Our own figures show about 80 per cent of people are already taking their glass to be recycled.”

The issue will be debated at council chamber, in Avenue Road, at 7pm on Tuesday.