RUBBISH collection by Malvern Hills District Council could switch from back door to front door as a money-saving measure.

The council's overview and scrutiny committee heard that £29,300 a year could be saved by the move, which would require householders to place their rubbish sacks at the front of their properties.

Colin Davis, director of community services for Malvern Hills District Council's said a survey showed that 90 per cent of householders had no objection to a front-of-curtilage collection.

The move is one of a series of recommendations being made as part of a best value review of MHDC's rubbish collection and street cleaning policies.

Others include developing an "integrated waste strategy" with Worcestershire County Council, which is responsible for rubbish disposal.

But Mr Davis warned that Worcestershire is locked into a 25-year, £500 million, waste disposal contract with the Spanish company Focsa. He said that contract could affect MHDC's ability to meet Government recycling targets.

MHDC should also look at whether rubbish should be collected by its own contract services unit, or whether it should be outsourced.

The future of the council's depot in the old gas works, on the corner of Pickersleigh Road and Madresfield Road, is also up for review, while the condition of it fleet of refuse lorries is causing some concern, with new ones costing up to £110,000 apiece.