Free bins to be available for Gainsborough neighbourhood which still uses bags
A limited number of free bins will be offered to a part of Gainsborough which currently relies on rubbish bags.
The trial will be carried out in Gainsborough’s South West ward as West Lindsey District Council looks for a long-term solution.
Councillors of different parties agreed that the current system wasn’t working at a full council meeting on Monday, September 7, but accused each other of political point-scoring over the issue.
100 free lidded metal dustbins will be available to store rubbish bags until collection day, and a public engagement exercise will be carried out later this year.
Four large bins will also be placed in public areas to recycle card and paper as a trial.
Liberal Democrat leader Coun Trevor Young submitted a motion calling for the end of “outdated” rubbish bags, which he said residents disliked.
Deputy council leader Moira Westley responded that work was already under way into how to do this.
She said: “Unlike Coun Young who failed to address this issue during his two years as leader of this council, this administration is taking a proactive approach – not just writing a letter or putting forward a motion.
“The [new trial] will provide a starting point and valuable information to assist with the planned public engagement exercise.”
Coun Young said: “This is not electioneering. It’s doing what people voted me to do.
“If this is the best alternative, it is poor and lacking.
“Tweaking around the edges won’t deliver the desired outcome, and the accusation that I did nothing as leader is pitiful.”
Other councillors agreed that the current situation was unsatisfactory.
Coun David Dobbie said: “If bags are put out early, they’re left lying around for far too long. Or if they’re late, they end up being there for a whole week.
“Bags get ripped open, and rubbish spread around. It makes the whole place look untidy.”