HOUSEHOLDERS in Beaconsfield could soon be taking their own rubbish to the dump if a new waste collection service is brought in across the district.

Residents currently leave black sacks outside their homes, which are collected weekly.

But a new scheme could see wheelie bins being introduced for kerbside collection, and whatever cannot be fitted into them will have to be taken to recycling centres by homeowners. The new service was trialed in Denham in March and then extended to cover areas of Beaconsfield.

Residents were given two wheelie bins - one for household and one for garden and food waste - each collected once a fortnight.

Changes are being made because South Bucks District Council (SBDC), which is in charge of waste collection, has to comply with Government guidelines.

No dates have been set for the changes but the trial is expected to run for at least 12 months.

Cllr Bill Lidgate, portfolio holder for environment at SBDC, said: "We are now not allowed to put as much rubbish into holes in the ground. We have to recycle and reuse.

"We have to reach a target of being able to recycle 30 per cent of our waste across the district. What we're seeing that in the old method of collection we were recycling something in the region of 24 to 26 per cent.

"In the trial area our recycling figures have gone up to 40 per cent. It would appear that is probably the way we would be heading - to roll that out across the whole district."

But fellow SBDC councillor and Beaconsfield new town resident, Graham Smith, has been opposed to the plans since they were first mentioned. He said: "I think it's an absolute disgrace. We pay one of the highest council taxes in the country and we're going to have one of the poorest services. You'll have a fortnight's rubbish to fit into a bin that was designed for a week's rubbish.

"The real big thing for me is if you can't fit it in the wheelie bin you're going to have to take it down the recycling centre yourself.

"I think there's going to be uproar."