A COUNCIL was blasted over its waste collection services which have now divided a village.

Hyndburn councillor Peter Britcliffe said he was amazed that Belthorn people within his ward had not been provided with garden waste services this summer.

However homes in the village who fall under Blackburn with Darwen Council have been having their green waste collected regularly.

Coun Britcliffe said weather conditions had created piles of garden waste.

Hyndburn operates a green bin scheme in selected areas as part of a trial.

Blackburn with Darwen operates a green bin scheme in their Belthorn properties.

However some luckless Belthorners under Hyndburn Council are being left with the problem on their hands.

Coun Britcliffe said he had been hoping for an extended green bin service to cover Belthorn in time for this year.

He said: “I was under the impression that we were promised that the green bin scheme would be rolled out across the borough, including Belthorn.

“I hope something can be done for next growing season.

“Many of the Belthorn houses have quite big gardens and find it very irritating to constantly have to contact the council specifically to remove mounds of garden waste. It is made more annoying by the fact that the houses in the village that come under Blackburn actually have a green waste collection.”

Cabinet member for waste services at Hyndburn Council Paul Cox said: “Since taking over control at Hyndburn Council the Labour group have made the service more streamlined.

“We are in a position at the moment to offer some green waste collections and the plan is to roll it out to other areas.

“Providing a service in Belthorn is something we must look at.”