Another bin is to be added to the collection of receptacles outside homes in the district later this year.

In a bid to increase the district’s recycling rate, local residents will find themselves with an additional bin outside their homes as well as the two existing ones in which green waste and landfill waste are currently deposited.

The new brown bin will be slightly smaller and take landfill waste with the current 240-litre black bin to be used for recyclable cans, bottles and plastic - currently placed in two boxes which will no longer be used.

In addition a new 23-litre food waste container will be introduced from mid July which will be collected weekly.The bins and the existing box for paper and card will continue to be collected fortnightly.

In addition there will be a kerbside collection of textiles and batteries but that will not mean an additional bin.

The council currently achieves 52.4 per cent of recycled waste and the aim is to increase that figure to 60 per cent. The recycling rate is up on the 50.5 per cent achieved last year and bucks the national trend where it has fallen to 44.3 per cent.

Richard Shwe, the council’s head of community services, said: “We are doing our bit for the environment by improving the recycling rate and reducing landfill.

“Further progress on recycling should be made as the new waste management contract gets underway. We are looking to increase rates to around 62 per cent during 2017/18 partly as a result of the new collection services.”

He added: “More information about the service changes will be sent to households in the coming weeks. There will also be a number of road shows to explain what is happening.”

During the publicity drive, Veolia will target areas where the recycling rate is low and unsuitable material is being put in recycling bins or boxes.