ASSURANCES that black bin collections in Blaenau Gwent will not move to once every four weeks have been given by council leaders.

But those assurances only really run until May, when voters will go to the polls in the next Council Election, meaning a new administration could be at the helm after then.

At Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council meeting on Thursday, February 17 questions over black bin collections was brought up as part of a wider debate on the 2022/23 budget.

Concerns had been raised that a £882,000 deficit in the authority ‘s environmental department budget from this year would be rolled forward into the next financial year.

Cllr Keith Pritchard said: “Can I have reassurance that there are no plans to replace our refuse collections to four-weekly, because I know that is a way of saving money, and I feel that would be a step too far.

“At the moment people are struggling with three weekly collections.”

Council leader, Cllr Nigel Daniels said: “I can assure you at this point in time there are no plans for reverting to four weekly collections, what future administrations decide or future diktats from Welsh Government decide, I can’t say.

“All I can do is give you an honest answer at this point in time there are no intentions to move to four weekly collections.

Environment portfolio holder Cllr Joanna Wilkins agreed with Cllr Daniels and added: “We need to take into account that recycling rates are going to increase, and it’s continuing to work with the public on how we can do that.”

Moving to four-week bin collections was discussed in 2019 as part of discussions around plans to improve recycling up to 2025.

In 2018 the Conwy County Borough Council in North Wales became the first authority in the country to introduce monthly bin collections.

By 2024/24 all Welsh local authorities will be expected to hit a 70 per cent recycling target which means the need of recycling more waste that goes into the black rubbish bin.