FORTNIGHTLY rubbish collections will be introduced across Cheddar, Axbridge and surrounding areas after councillors gave plans the green light

FORTNIGHTLY rubbish collections will be introduced across Cheddar, Axbridge and surrounding areas after councillors gave plans the green light last week. Household rubbish that normally goes in black sacks, such as food packaging, will be collected every two weeks and recyclables and food waste will be collected weekly. Sedgemoor District Council made the decision on Wednesday at its Executive meeting.In neighbouring North Somerset, the council has pledged not to introduce fortnightly collections, after concerns were raised by residents. Other local authorities across the country are changing the way they collect rubbish to meet Government recycling targets and avoid landfill taxes. At the moment, Sedgemoor households have their rubbish collected weekly and their recycling fortnightly. The new scheme, called SORT IT! will start in Autumn 2009. Negotiations are under way with contractors who would carry out the collections and members of Sedgemoor District Council are set to announce the successful company on July 19. The selected contractor is expected to sign on the dotted line in October.There will be a full programme of educational and promotional activities in the run-up to the change including road shows, presentations at parish council meetings, information leaflets, newsletters and a series of press releases. A food waste treatment plant is also on the cards for when the new collections are in place. It has been suggested that a facility is built at Walpole Landfill Site near Bridgwater but this is likely to take up to two years. The plant would effectively be a giant composter that would be kept at a high temperature monitored by computers. Once the compost had been made it would be sold to farms, garden centres and used to reclaim industrial sites, such as filling old mine shafts. There are currently no food waste treatment plants on the west side of the M5. Sedgemoor District Council agreed to the new SORT IT! collections in principle on Wednesday but a final decision is not required until November 2008, with the proposed service starting in autumn 2009. * What is your opinion on fortnightly bin collections? Email newsdesk@thewestonmercury.co.uk