IN RESPONSE to the recent letter from Mr Brown (Smaller bins, November 6), I would like to reassure him that it was not “always the plan” to introduce smaller bins in Torfaen as he suggests.

In fact, of the three options we consulted on, monthly collections or two bags collected fortnightly would have been a more cost-effective option for the council and far easier to implement.

Restricting the amount of general waste collected at the kerbside is a proven way to improve recycling performance as it requires people to make better use of the recycling facilities available to them. Its effectiveness is evidenced by other councils in Wales that have already introduced similar measures or are planning to in the near future.

However, unlike many other councils that have done this without consulting the public, we wanted to give Torfaen residents a say in the process. We know that most families will be able to manage under the new arrangements if they are using all the recycling facilities we offer at the kerbside, and while we appreciate that not everyone is going to be happy with the smaller black bins, they are far more preferable to the huge fines we face if we do nothing.

Councillor John Cunningham, Executive member for neighbourhoods, Torfaen County Borough Council