£750,000 Boost for Ribble Valley Refuse Collection

It is one of 85 local authorities who are to receive a share of £250million for recycling and refuse collection, including weekly collections of non-recyclable waste, food waste collections, reward schemes and incentive schemes.

Over 130 projects from across the UK bid for the cash, with 90 being selected to go forward.

The windfall was announced by Brandon Lewis, under secretary of state for communities and local government, during a whistlestop tour of Ribble Valley - the borough's first ministerial visit in over 20 years.

He said: "I am from a local authority background and know that the first thing people want is their bins emptying.

"But this funding is not just about weekly refuse collections, it is also about recycling and rewarding councils who are delivering effective waste management schemes."

Ribble Valley Borough Council leader Michael Ranson said: "Ribble Valley Borough Council was one of the few local authorities in the UK to maintain weekly refuse collections, as well as developing a robust recycling scheme.

"Our residents tell us that they value and appreciate weekly collections of non-recyclable waste.

"We are therefore delighted that the Government has recognised our achievements and this money will enable us to improve our recycling and refuse collection service by expanding our fleet of specialist vehicles and the range of waste that we can collect for recycling."

Ribble Valley Borough Council's annual recycling and refuse collection budget is £1.1million, which equates to £39.74 per household, compared to a Lancashire average of £45.56, despite maintaining weekly collections of non-recyclable waste.

Following the announcement, which was made at the newly-refurbished Grindleton Pavilion, Brandon Lewis discussed a range of local government issues with Ribble Valley borough councillors and directors.