THE arson attack on waste-collection vehicles serving the borough of Basingstoke and Deane could be an opportunity for a shake-up, a prominent councillor has suggested.

Tory borough and county councillor Phil Heath has suggested now is the time to improve recycling in the rural areas.

His comments were made at a meeting of the borough's environment committee, which discussed last Monday's arson attack that caused damage worth £1million to 12 vehicles at the Wade Road depot run by waste company Onyx.

Cllr Heath asked: "Do we have an opportunity here before the vehicles are permanently replaced to try to do something with Onyx to improve collections?"

He said the use in rural areas of "split-back" vehicles - which have separate sections for recyclable and non-recyclable waste - had hampered efforts to change services so rural residents could use the same green bins used by urban residents.

He said afterwards: "The rural areas say they don't have the same access to recycling centres like Wade Road. They either have to use the old piggy-back bins or clear plastic bags.

"With the split-back vehicles there is also the temptation to throw things in the wrong side. So my thought was to change these vehicles and change the contract."

However, Cllr Heath's suggestion was not given much chance of success by Bob Brooks, the council's environmental services manager for streetcare.

He said a panel was looking at different means of collection, but with many houses using piggy-back bins, it would be contractually difficult and expensive to change.

However, he added: "We will be reporting to the Cabinet on the way forward."

Committee chairman Cllr Martin Bier-mann gave credit to Onyx.

He said: "I think they have done really well. I thought there was going to be a mess throughout the borough for a week, at least. The fact there is not means we should show our appreciation to Onyx."