BIN collections could be cut in Newport from every fortnight to every three weeks, as part of the city council's plans to save money.

We asked our followers on Facebook for their thoughts on the council's idea, which forms part of the budget proposals for the next financial year.

Many readers who responded were unimpressed, arguing the current bins provided are too small and that the council shouldn't cut services at the same time as raising taxes.

Lee Jones captured the mood of many readers when he called the proposal an “absolute joke” given the local authority’s plan to simultaneously increase council tax.

Emma Isaac was among those readers who said they found the existing fortnightly collections to be a strain.

“We struggle now with the collection every fortnight,” she said. “We recycle everything we possibly can as well. But they refuse to take the extra recycling off its in carrier bags. We need wheelie bins for the recycling as well.”

Carl Simpson shared a similar view, adding: “I’m all for helping in any way I can to recycle [and] minimise waste, but two weeks isn’t enough as it is now.”

Tzana Cox said the council should consider returning to the larger wheelie bins if it is to reduce rounds.

She said the council “needs to give us back bigger bins if they want to do this – there’s enough fly-tipping at the moment with two weekly, never mind three.”

Dewi Richards Darch raised the same point, saying: “I think they need to look at replacing the current recycling bins to larger ones.

“My recycling is constantly rammed and my bin is always full. [I] think they need to evaluate normal bins and recycling bins to a more practical and suitable option.”

Marie Robins said “[I] recycle all I can” but the current bins “are already small” and she can “just about fit rubbish in”.

“No way I'd last three weeks,” she added.

Newport City Council said it believed the reduction in rounds would improve recycling rates, but some readers said they feared the move could have a much worse effect.

Christine Charles and Kim Reynolds were among readers who said the council’s three-weekly rounds plan might encourage more fly-tipping. The city already claimed the unwanted crown of Wales’ worst area for illegal waste dumping earlier this year.

Some readers, however, suggested the council’s plan could work.

Among them was Andrew Barker, who said: “What do people fill their bins with? Until recently we were a family of four and vary rarely got anywhere near filling it.

“If you recycle and use the composting brown box there is nothing in it to attract vermin. Can’t see any problem with three-week collections.”

And Tony Kelly said the reduction in rounds “wouldn’t be a problem if everyone used their recycling bins correctly, as they are collected weekly”.