Hugglescote Labour District Councillor, Terri Eynon, voiced major concerns last week when the Community Scrutiny Committee was presented with a report on the County's draft 'Resources and Waste Strategy'.

This is designed to set out the direction of travel for refuse and recycling collection across Leicestershire to 2050.

But, as Cllr Eynon pointed out, the Government's failure to publish its plans for aligning recycling systems and waste food collection countrywide - and how this will be funded - has left gaping holes in the strategy.

She was particularly concerned about the possibility, raised in the document, of increasing the interval between black bin collections in the Coalville area and North West Leicestershire.

Cllr Eynon said: "Until we have a separate regular service for collecting and preferably recycling used nappies and a weekly waste food collection service in place, the council must not contemplate extending the interval between black bin collections beyond the current two weekly cycle.

"Labour will strongly resist any proposed change."

She was also concerned that trials of alternative recycling storage systems have been underway in parts of the district since before the Covid-19 pandemic - but added the Council has made little progress in getting to grips with replacing its system of boxes and bags.

Cllr Eynon added: "The current system has failed.

"It results in unacceptable amounts of litter on the streets on windy days.

"We would also clamp down on fly-tipping by increasing fines, stricter enforcement and introducing a free annual bulky waste collection for all households."