'A three-week bin cycle? What about the rats?'

Bin collections moving to a three-week cycle could lead to overflowing, rotting waste and rats in the street, say Shropshire residents.

People say they are worried that if the proposal is approved, a build-up of non-recyclable, general rubbish could also lead to fly-tipping.

Richard Parry, from Wem, told the BBC that while he understood Shropshire Council's need to save money, larger families would suffer as a result of tightened budgets.

The three-week cycle could be introduced as part of the local authority's plans to save £1m towards a £23m savings target in the next financial year.

The council told the BBC a three-week bin collection cycle was just one of several proposals within its budget consultation and it was encouraging people to share their views before the consultation process closed on 26 January.

Currently the collections are fortnightly.

Mr Parry said he had already noticed an increase of fly-tipping on his regular walks through the countryside, adding larger households were not getting their needs met.

He told BBC Radio Shropshire: "[The change] is ok in [the council's] point of view because they're trying to save money of course.

"There's only two of us [in my home] so we'll be ok but three weeks with a larger family is pushing the boundaries too much.

"I feel sorry for them because the council aren't collecting their bins often enough.

"More and more fly tipping in rural areas is happening. We do a lot of walking and [on] some of the public footpaths, piles of domestic rubbish are being tipped there on the weekends."

Mike Thomas, called the proposals "ridiculous", raising concerns about the waste build-up attracting vermin. He said: "There's going to be rats. I think Its terrible. Keep it as it is."

The council's consultation on savings also includes proposals to:

• Reduce the opening hours of the museum and castle in Shrewsbury.
• Switch off some streetlights during certain times.
• Change park and ride bus services in Shrewsbury.

Robin Grimmett, from Clun, said a new bin cycle would not cause him an issue directly as he lived alone.

"There is no problem having a black bin collection every three weeks. [I] recycle everything and most weeks the black bin is only 25 % full."

But Katherine Smith had this to say: "I think three weeks is a long time for your bins to be collected to be honest.

"In the summer if it gets hot you don't want the resulting smells from your rubbish being heated up.

"It's going to build up eventually and I think it could create problems - hopefully not rats."

Mum-of-four Sammy Eames said her household lived "diligently" but still had overflowing bins.

She said: "I recycle every bit of cardboard and every two weeks both my bins are full, the kids are jumping on the waste to pack them down."

The supply teacher, from Shrewsbury, said the plans would compromise larger families.

"How on earth are people going to cope? Its ridiculous."

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