CHANGES to collections planned for next year will mean that people in Christchurch will be able to recycle cartons and tin foil for the first time.

Despite concerns the town was getting “a worse deal” than Bournemouth and Poole, BCP Council’s cabinet approved plans to bring the town’s service into line with its neighbours when it met on Monday.

Current proposals would see glass no longer collected separately although the amount of material which can be put out for recycling would be expanded.

As part of arrangements for local government reorganisation in the county, it was agreed that Dorset Council would continue to oversee bin collections in Christchurch for the first year of its existence.

Ahead of BCP Council taking on the service in April, it has put together interim arrangements for the town while it carries out a wider review for the whole conurbation.

Last year, £1.2 million was set aside by the shadow authority for the purchase of new bin lorries in preparation for the change.

And as part of arrangements approved on Monday, glass would no longer be collected separately– a move, it said, would save £342,000 a year.

Speaking at Monday’s meeting, the cabinet member for environment, councillor Felicity Rice, said she originally had reservations about the change.

“Initially I was concerned that not separating glass was a step backwards for the council,” she said.

“But there have been significant improvements in this area and you end up with a similar quality of material after the mixed recycling process now.”

She said improved technology now meant there was little difference in recycling rates between separate and mixed collections.

According to a report, the planned change would also allow the collection of tin foil and Tetra Pak cartons – materials which people in the Christchurch area cannot recycle.

Cabinet member for health, and Christchurch mayor, Lesley Dedman, welcomed the planned approach.

“There’s been a little bit of concern in Christchurch that the service will be different,” she said.

“It will be different, but it won’t be worse – we will now be able to put glass in the main recycling bin and we will be able to recycle foil which we can’t at the moment.”

Councillors unanimously approved the planned changes to the collections in the town and for work to begin on a “strategic review” of waste services across the conurbation.