On Monday evening at Mossley Mill, councillor Billy Webb raised concerns that many people with large gardens were leaving out two brown bins, but that only one was being emptied. He said that in order to get the second bin cleansed they had to phone the council and arrange a special collection.

The Alliance Party representative described the current policy as “too restrictive”, calling for two brown bin collections per household to be permitted where there is a need.

“We are about recycling, so if that’s what’s required then that’s what’s required,” he said.

His party colleague, Lynn Frazer added: “We have to be strict with the black bins as that waste is going to landfill, but we need to be more flexible in relation to stuff that’s being recycled.”

Director of Environmental Services, Hugh Kelly, assured the meeting that officers would look at the issue again and report back to the committee.

Meanwhile, council officers are to work with local churches to see what can be done to cut down on their waste disposal costs.

The move comes after Environment Committee members Paul Girvan and Barbara Gilliland raised concerns that some churches, many of which are carrying out valuable community work with young people and pensioners, are struggling to pay their waste collection charges.