VIEWS were divided about the future of the borough's waste collection at a committee, environment, and partnerships meeting last week.

The meeting, held on September 13 at the council's offices in London Road, looked to gain the committee's views on whether the borough should move to alternate weekly collection (AWC), or maintain the current contract of weekly collections. The current contract is due to conclude in October 2018.

Portfolio holder and cabinet member for regulatory services and the environment, Councillor Hayley Eachus said at the meeting: "We're here to seek the views of the committee on what is one of the biggest contracts that the council does. This new contract will last for at least the next eight years, with millions of pounds being involved, so it is important that we look at all the options."

One of the key issues that was brought up was the recycling rates and how to proceed with them, as the borough has one of the lowest recycling rates in the county. Leader of the Basingstoke Labour Group, Cllr Paul Harvey said at the meeting: "AWC is not the only show in town to do a decent, well-run recycling collection service and I'm sorry, but the two lots as they are at the moment seem to constrain us, and I am concerned with the restraints we are putting on ourselves, when it is the largest and most important contract.

"I want it to be put forward that this is not the only way forward. We want to recycle more, and it feels like a hobson's choice, and that is not good enough for our residents who are very happy with their current service."

Data taken from the council's survey of roughly 1,000 residents shows that just over half of the residents surveyed disagreed with the idea of AWC.

Deputy mayor Cllr Sean Keating said at the meeting: "We shouldn't be accepting Lot 2 [AWC], because what you end up saying is that you'll reduce the service without reducing the cost or the council tax and if you're going to insist on AWC, then we need to insist on having bin stores for flats, we have been trying to get bin stores in South Ham for 10 years."

The decision is due to be made at a cabinet meeting tonight (Wednesday 20 September.)