A “DETAILED REPORT” on recycling provision in the Wee County is set to be considered by a council committee next month following concerns over kerbside blue box collections.

While the service received a temporary stay of execution, it is still Clackmannanshire Council’s intention, as at last week’s full meeting of elected members on Thursday, April 18, to eventually cease the non-statutory service.

There was an admission by Cllr Craig Holden, Place Committee convener who brought a report on the issue to the chamber last-minute, that the council could have communicated the details to the public better and the administration generally expressed a wish to learn the lessons.

Plans for the cessation come from a 2018-19 budget decision taken more than a year ago and was billed as a £159,000 saving.

The alternative provision would see glass banks provided in settlements, Cllr Holden reiterating the local authority remains committed to recycling.

Assessments carried out ahead of the decision in 2018 did identify that “people with age and disability protected characteristics were most likely to be impacted”.

However, papers also indicated “low impacts and that many respondents were supportive of alternative service delivery”.

In spite of that, the councillor’s report acknowledges that additional mitigating measures will have to be considered when the Place Committee looks into all aspects of the issue at its May 23 meeting.

Other fears raised, which the future meeting will also look at, included increase in fly tipping, insufficient communication and reduced commitments to recycling.

The kerbside collection service itself is not statutory.

This means the council, which like many others is under unprecedented financial pressure, has no legal obligation to provide it if it puts in place alternatives.

Introducing his report on the day, Cllr Holden said he wanted to “continue to listen and respond in a constructive fashion” to communities.

Labour’s Cllr George Matchett highlighted further concerns about potential vandalism to the proposed glass collection points and individuals’ ability to go there.

Conservative leader Cllr Bill Mason echoed worries about the placement of the banks and how that could affect nearby households and said that “serious concerns were expressed” at community council meetings he had attended.

Labour leader Cllr Dave Clark wanted to make sure the council also considers how brown bins will be collected in the future and highlighted it costs much less to uplift the blue boxes compared to the various bins also in use.

The administration’s Helen Lewis, who did brand the cessation a “slightly backward step”, was keen to remind people that: “The public all have a duty to recycle.”

It was a response to social media comments which saw angry residents saying they will just put their recycling in their generic waste green bins.

She added that she will be keeping her blue box to collect glass and will be taking it to the bottle bank to recycle.