BASILDON Council has recently concluded a six-week trial of separate food and garden waste collections involving 99 households across the borough.

The council reports that overall the feedback from the majority of properties which took part in the trial was positive, and 88 per cent would be happy for it to be introduced in the future.

Those taking part in the trial, which ended in January, were asked to leave out a 23 litre external caddy for their food waste instead of mixing in with any garden waste in wheeled bins.

The trial was discussed at this week's meeting of the Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces Committee when chairman Cllr David Harrison said: "These changes are vital, not only because of the National Waste Strategy and Environment Bill but because of the ambitions of our own Waste Strategy and corporate plan in making the service efficient and environmentally sound, and to be sure that the service delivers for both our residents and businesses.

"We will be working alongside our residents to make sure this happens."

Further consultation with the wider borough will happen in the next stage of the trial.