PROPOSED fortnightly bin collections are being opposed by Southampton residents.

The plans have been outlined in Southampton City Council’s (SCC) budget plans, which to be debated today.

If civic chiefs approve the proposals, it will save SCC £800,000 a year.

But residents in Newtown have been collecting signatures to fight the plans, saying that bins already overflowing after a week so making collecting fortnightly will only exacerbate the problem.

More than 300 signatures have already been collected.

Community activist Nazrul Chaudhery said: “Our area is unique in Southampton.

“We have a large number of houses of multiple occupations and still many extended families living in this area.

“Moving collections to alternative weeks will cause us a major headache. At present we have many overflowing bins days before they are due for collection, and for many years, we have seen flytipping on an industrial scale.

“Most days you can walk the area and find abandoned mattresses, furniture and other unwanted items dumped on street corners and pavements.

“This proposed change will add to the problem. It is not wanted or welcomed.”

Sewak Landa, committee member for Newtown Residents Association, said Newtown’s community was different from others because it consists of “many people from different backgrounds”.

“People are living under poverty,” Mr Landa said.

“They usually buy food cheaper and nearly out-of-date. Foods are spoiled quickly and starts smelling bad.”

Mr Landa said that rubbish bins are overfilled within a week, which means council workers do not take them to be emptied.

He also highlighted a vermin problem in the area, adding: “People in the area are already suffering from rats, mice, bed bugs and cockroaches.

“If this bin collection is implemented fortnightly, it will be bad for health - especially in the summer season.

“It will be more of a burden on the NHS for treatment.”

Jane Shoebridge, a local resident and community volunteer, said “The area looks messy on most days. If the community don’t understand the changes and are not supported then we will constantly be playing clean up.

“The smell from bins is horrible, particularly in the summer. I dread to think what it will be like with a two week wait for bins to be emptied.”