A LETTER implying householders in the Bromsgrove area will get a third wheelie bin to replace the two recycling boxes has been described as 'premature and a misunderstanding.'

Several readers contacted the Advertiser/Messenger after a letter in last week's paper from district councillor Stephen Peters in which he spoke of changes coming into effect in April, ultimately leading to householders getting a third wheeled bin for all recyclables.

Cllr Peters represents the Wythall Ratepayers' and Residents' Association for the Hollywood and Majors Green ward and chairs the council's refuse and recycling task group.

He maintains a new system has been agreed and forms part of the council's wide ranging Street Scene policy designed to improve services.

But the notion that the bin system will be introduced this spring has been vigorously denied by council leader Roger Hollingworth (Con-Alvechurch).

He said: "The idea is premature. It has been discussed, but I must stress nothing has yet been decided. The earliest it could happen is next autumn, but more likely, if it happens at all, it will be February 2007."

One of the major stumbling blocks will be who will foot the bill to set the scheme up.

For a start 38,000 new bins, at £20 each, will have to be bought, as well as the county authority having in place the necessary equipment to separate the mix of recyclable materials, a task presently done by householders themselves.

Charles Bateman, from Marlbrook, was one reader who confessed to be confused by Cllr Peters' letter.

"I was surprised the council chose to inform ratepayers of the changes through the letters page of the Advertiser/Messenger," he said.

Cllr Hollingworth replied that the council had not gone down that information route and Cllr Peters appeared to have misunderstood the situation.

An experiment in Bromsgrove last year using 'all in one' recycling bins was a success. The bins are emptied into collection vehicles which compact the material, cutting down on manpower and greatly reducing the number of emptying trips.