CONTROVERSIAL proposals to charge homeowners when their bin is no longer fit for purpose have been thrown out.

But a raft of bin charges are being introduced in a bid to save cash.

Town hall bosses had put forward proposals to charge residents if their bin had been damaged through wear and tear.

The council had hoped to bring in £10k from the policy. Lost and stolen bins will still have to be paid for.

But at a council meeting, the proposal was opposed by Cllr Kevin McKeon, who called it in.

Cllr McKeon, shadow spokesman for the environment, said: “I felt it was unfair if residents were not responsible for the damage and secondly on vulnerable families whose incomes are under increasing pressure, I felt the administration should think again.”

The council’s environmental services has to save £193,000 by the end of the financial year.

Proposals set to be debated this week include charging for new recycling bins at apartment complexes, which up to now they have provided for free.

The fees are around £300, which would generate around £3k per annum ­— and the council will offer an extra collection service, if managers want it at competitive prices.

Schools, who have had their recyclable rubbish removed for free will now be charged, with costs varying from £18 per annum for a small school with one 240-litre recycling bin to just over £2,000 for a large secondary school with ten 1100-litre bins for recycling from next year.

The council say that “there has been a decline in the value of recyclates and it is no longer sustainable to continue to collect recycling from schools free of charge”.

However, the council says it will help schools to recycle more and hopeful reduce the cost its pays for general waste.

Cllr Adele Warren, executive cabinet member for environmental services delivery, said: “Bolton Council, like many authorities across the country, is having to address a number of financial challenges and we have difficult decisions to make.

“The authority has to save £23.5million over the next two years and the proposals in the report will contribute £66,000 towards that target.

“If the changes are not implemented then the savings target for the service will not be met and savings will have to be found from elsewhere.All businesses in Bolton pay for a waste and recycling collection service, and Due to budget pressures we are now having to look at charging schools for recycling collections.”

“Some schools already use private waste companies who charge for recycling collections, and under our proposed charges some schools will be paying as little as £18 a year.

“We have already informed schools that a charge may be introduced but it would only be implemented from April 2021 to give them time to plan for the additional charges in their budgets.

“Schools already pay for us to collect their general waste and the cost of this collection is higher than a recycling collection.

“We want to work with schools to help them save money and we have offered to carry out waste audits to help schools maximise recycling, and reduce their general waste collection requirements and associated charges.”