BLAENAU Gwent council will avoid a £126,800 fine for failing to hit recycling targets after seeing an improvement in performance.

The authority failed to hit a Welsh Government target of 58 per cent in 2017/18 after recording the lowest recycling record in Wales for the fourth year running.

But a new 'no side waste policy', which has been rolled out to around 75 per cent of households in the borough since last June, has since helped the council make significant improvements.

Under the policy bin collectors only collect waste that is presented at the kerbside in a wheelie bin.

Council wardens monitor collections and can issue warnings to residents who do not comply, or fines as a last resort.

Matthew Perry, from the council's neighbourhood service's team, told councillors on Thursday the Welsh Government has agreed to waiver the £126,800 due to the improved recycling rate in the first three quarters of this year.

Mr Perry said "massive improvements" have been made since the introduction of no side waste, with the area's recycling rate sitting above both Cardiff and Newport for the first three quarters of this year, at 59.3 per cent.

However he warned the council could not be complacent as Welsh Government recycling targets increase to 64 per cent next year.

"Some of the decisions we are going to have to make are not going to be palatable," said Mr Perry.

"We are going to have to be far stricter on black bag waste.

"It's positive but we have got to keep the momentum going."

Cllr Wayne Hodgins thanked residents for their efforts in helping to improve the recycling rate.

"It's welcome news that we are not going to be fined," he said.

"I think we should be thanking members of the public because without the public we would not be where we are this morning."

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Since the policy was introduced 1,175 letters have been sent to residents displaying 'excess' waste, but only four fines have been issued.

The reduction in black bag waste collected has also saved Blaenau Gwent around £213,500 in the first three quarters of this year.

But fly-tipping has also gone up by around two incidents per day, though council bosses say this is not a big rise.

The amount of cross-border waste has also gone up, with residents in Blaenau Gwent increasingly using tips in Caerphilly and Monmouthshire.

But permit schemes are due to be introduced in both areas, while a second waste recycling facility has been given planning permission to serve Blaenau Gwent.