COUNCILLORS have hit out at draconian measures which will see people being fined for putting litter in the wrong bins.

Rossendale Council's new rubbish enforcement rules could land residents with fines for putting litter in the wrong bin or leaving extra bags out from October.

Opposition councillors at a full council meeting tonight criticised the council for failing to do enough to inform residents of the policy.

The council, defending their decision to inform people about the fines via leaflets, said the 25 per cent increase in recycling targets since 1997 justified the action.

The policy says that from October side waste not in a bin will not be removed. Instead it will be put in the residents' own bin after collection. Waste will be searched and the homeowner will receive a letter.

On the second occasion a neighbourhood Environmental Action Team (NEAT) officer will carry out a waste audit, handing out a warning letter.

On the third occasion a fixed penalty notice of £50 will be issued.

Recycled rubbish containers will be subject to a three-strikes policy where if the wrong rubbish is placed in them on three occasions a £50 fine will be issued.

Councillor Christine Lamb, opposition lead for the environment, said: "There should be a less draconian approach to recycling. Some councils offer advice to encourage people to recycle more and this has been shown to work. The heavy handed tactics are not needed."

Defending their actions, council leader Duncan Riddick said: "It is only after considerable help has been offered to those people who have been struggling with recycling that we will consider fining them.

"I would defend our approach but the results speak for themselves. We have environmental reasons for doing this as well as the financial impact it will have for council tax payers."

With 60 per cent of residents recycling, coun Alyson Barnes, leader of the opposition, said the council needs to target the 40 per cent of residents who are failing to recycle rather than the whole borough.