SEVEN bring bank sites across the district will close this September, in a bid to reduce fly tipping, littering and antisocial behaviour.

Bromsgrove District Council has decided to remove the banks due a decline in usage, ongoing costs of cleaning, and the removal of frequent fly tipping at certain sites.

The council claim they are often misused by commercial organisations, who dump their waste and attract unwanted attention.

It says landowners and residents have approached the council on numerous occasions, asking for the sites to be removed for these reasons.

Cllr Geoff Denaro, leader of the council, said: “Bring banks were once the only way residents could recycle anything, but now, with the introduction of our kerbside collection service, they are becoming obsolete. The money and time spent on cleaning up the sites can now be used for a better purpose, elsewhere within the district.”

In 2016/16 Bromsgrove District had a recycling rate of 44 per cent, with bring banks contributing just one per cent towards this figure.

Residents will still be able to recycle excess waste, such as bottles or cardboard, at one of the household waste sites on Quantry Lane in Romsley, or Crossgates Road in Redditch.

Anyone with too many recyclables for their green bin can request another bin at bromsgrove.gov.uk.

For more information on the bring banks, contact Anna Wardell-Hill on 01527 881 715.