DROITWICH residents have demanded to know who will be exempt from a new wheelie bin scheme when it comes to the town.

The controversial plan for alternate weekly collections is planned to start from October this year but people living in the town say they are still waiting to find out who will - and will not - be getting the bins. Councillors and officers previously promised the scheme would not be a one-size-fits-all implementation and said if the bins were inappropriate for some homes, those exceptions could continue using plastic sacks.

However, the issue was raised again at an annual meeting of the town council.

Mark Heel, of Burrish Street, said: "The wheelie bins have been confirmed, so it's no good arguing about them coming. But people are asking about block exemptions for pedestrianised areas."

Coun Graham Gopsill told the meeting that Wychavon District Council's scrutiny committee had been asking about exemptions for six months but had not been told any details. Coun Edgar Harwood also asked if everyone living in his ward - the town's Chawson estate - would be exempt.

However, in response, Wychavon's head of legal and committee services Ian Mar-shall said more details would be available in May when a report by a councillor-led team would be made.

He added: "There will be a range of exemptions where there are problems siting bins or if the access is not acceptable to crews.

"Wheelie bins have been introduced in many, many areas and it is acknowledged throughout the country that there have to be exemptions."

Mr Marshall also said the first phase would be distributed to homes in September with the service starting in October, while phase two would begin in February or March - but could not say which parts of the town fell into which phase.