NEW bin rounds are now set to be introduced across Rossendale this September, council bosses have revealed.

And town hall officials are preparing for some disquiet when they bring in the final phase of proposals to save up to £273,000 for the Valley’s refuse and recycling service.

Work on the environmental overhaul has been ongoing for two years and has come into stark focus with the authority needing to find cuts totalling £1.5million by 2015-16.

Under the new system, staff will be moving to new ‘area-based’ refuse collection routes which will also allow them to conduct litter picks and perform ‘deep cleans’ of certain neighbourhoods once a fortnight.

Early indications were that this would be in place by last spring but late September has now been earmarked. Part of the same initiative covered the removal of various recycling locations around the borough, alongside a reshuffle of garden waste collection policies, to save £66,500.

Another £197,600 was due to be recouped by moves which included phasing out a road sweeper and cage truck, and related jobs, and ‘reprofiling’ the town centre caretaker service.

The removal of 77 litter bins across the borough – including 34 in the Rawtenstall area alone –were rubberstamped as part of the same process.

Joe Kennedy, the council’s head of operations said in a scrutiny report: “Due to the nature of the change to area based working, there will be a risk of increased dissatisfaction during the transition period.

“Clear and consistent communication plans are in place to support this as far as is reasonably possible, as well as identifying those properties that may have a long transition period until they fall into the new zoned collection.”