Labour-led Gedling Borough Council has hit back at claims from a Conservative group leader that it has done a 'u-turn' on the size of bins available to residents.
Nottinghamshire Live is told before 2021, all residents in the borough were eligible for a bin size of 240 litres.
Last year, waste department officers at the council joined up with an approach that's in place across the wider county of Nottinghamshire.
That means, and what currently still stands, is that a property with one, two or three residents that needs a new bin because it has been damaged, stolen or lost, will be given a 180 litre bin.
These residents can apply for a 240 litre bin on exemption grounds, such as for medical reasons.
Households that fall into the category will not have existing 240 litre bins replaced without a need for a new one.
And the council has launched its first ever waste policy, which is currently out for consultation, where all households will be eligible for 240 litre bins as part of the proposals.
But Conservative councillors say Gedling Borough Council has done a 'u-turn', as bigger bins will be available to all residents again.
However the Labour-run council itself denies this, saying a decision at a political level was never taken.
Following the by-election for the Cavendish ward, which the Lib Dems won, Labour Councillor Michael Payne, deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, said: "It was deeply disappointing to be made aware that misleading leaflets about bin sizes being reduced were being put through residents’ doors by candidates and a particular political party during the recent Cavendish ward by-election."
The council's Conservative group leader has spoken out against this.
Councillor Mike Adams, Conservative representative for Trent Valley, said: "We said throughout the campaign that plans to reduce the size of our bins from 240 litres to 180 litres were unfair, create disparities between neighbours and risk an increase in fly tipping.
"Like many Gedling Borough residents suffering from a smaller bin, I welcome the u-turn and the announcement that Gedling Borough Council will re-instate 240 litre bins for everyone.
"But it should be described as what it is: a change of heart.
"To dismiss what I've said as 'misleading' is plain wrong."
Tom Randall, Conservative MP for Gedling, said: "I've had constituents contact me complaining that their 180 litre bin is too small for their young family.
"If the deputy leader is genuinely disappointed that we have highlighted residents' dissatisfaction with this change, why did he allow the reduction in bin size to go ahead in the first place?"
Gedling Borough Council has hit back at these comments.
Deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor Payne added: "It's disappointing Conservative councillors are playing politics with people's bin services.
"It's also a real shame not a single Conservative Gedling Borough councillor took part in the council's recent Scrutiny Working Group that discussed, scrutinised and considered the council's approach to waste, recycling and bin collections.
"The simple truth of the matter is our Labour administration has agreed every household in Gedling borough will have a 240 litre bin for both general waste and recycling as a standard minimum - the right decision, particularly in light of the fact more people continue to work at home as a consequence of the covid pandemic.
"We’ll also provide additional green recycling bins to households, where there is a proven need and additional glass collection boxes to those households who need them.”
Mike Hill, chief executive of the council, said: "The council has always offered large bins to residents and where we have known there are three people or fewer in the property, we have offered them a 180 litre bin with the option for a larger bin, if they needed it.
"Due to the fact that households are limited in what they can put in their recycling bin under the current Nottinghamshire County Council recycling contract, we have had numerous requests from households wanting a large 240 litre waste bin and this has been reflected in the new draft policy."
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