EAST Lancashire borough council's face losing up to £800,000 a year or dramatically cutting the regularity of their bin collections.

The stark choice follows the county council ending a special 'cost sharing arrangement' for the collection and disposal of waste.

Currently the Lancashire-wide authority disposes of waste and the boroughs collect it.

Under a eight-year-old agreement the county pays the district councils a subsidy to help towards the cost of dividing different types of waste for recycling.

Because of government cuts in grants to County Hall, Lancashire will end this system from April 1 2018 angering and disappointing borough leaders facing their own deep budget cuts.

Their concern has been increased by a study document produced by consultants for the county suggesting reducing the regularity of bin collections to help make up the cash shortfall.

It recommends Burnley and Chorley, which will each lose £800,00 annually from the change, move from weekly collections alternating general refuse and recycling to a four-weekly cycle for each.

The report proposes the same for Hyndburn, which will lose £600,000 and also collects alternate weeks.

Pendle, which will lose £800,000 annually, and Rossendale, which will lose £600,000 a year, are suggested to move from the same alternate weekly collection cycle to a three-weekly system.

Ribble Valley, which refused to take part in the study and faces a 'significant' annual financial loss, currently collects general refuse weekly and recycling fortnightly.

Its community services chairman Robert Thompson said he was "disappointed' at the county's attitude and would endeavour to retain the current service despite the cash cut.

Burnley borough leader Mark Townsend said: "We are angry and disappointed at the county council's attitude to this and are seeking to continue talks to ease the impact."

Hyndburn leader Miles Parkinson: "We are doing our best to make the savings needed and keep the current level of service.

"Whilst I appreciate the county's problem we are disappointed."

Lancashire county's lead on waste Clare Pritchard said: "The district councils have known about this since 2013 and it is forced on us by government grant cuts.

"The document attempts to help them find the savings they need."

Blackburn with Darwen borough, which collects general waste weekly and recyclables fortnightly, is unaffected as it is not part of the agreement.