Weekly bin collections

Weekly bin collections are set to return following a government pledge of £250 million.

The money will help English councils keep or restore the weekly collections, which had been phased out by the Labour party in an attempt to increase recycling.

Almost half of all English councils currently run some form of fortnightly collection.

Eric Pickles, communities secretary, is making good on a promise to return to a weekly collection system made at the Conservative party conference back in 2008.

However environmental campaigners have criticised the change, saying that fortnightly collections have had a positive effect on recycling.

Taxpayers' Alliance: Lack of weekly bin collections causes misery to residents

Caroline Spelman: Weekly bin collections are important to hard pressed families

Friends of the Earth: Weekly collections waste of money and bad for recycling

Eric Pickles: Weekly bin collection money will make big difference