WIRRAL Council has defended its decision not to distribute calendars detailing bin collection dates after opposition councillors slammed the move, which is set to save £31,000.

Instead of posting a calendar out to residents across the borough, the cash-strapped authority has opted to publish the dates online.

But Moreton West and Saughall Massie Conservative Cllr Steve Williams said the decision will isolate those who do not have access to the internet, particularly the elderly.

He said: “To expect every resident in Wirral to go online to discover when their bins will be emptied shows how out of touch the town hall has become. 

"Many residents, in particular the elderly or those who are not online, won’t have a clue when their bins will be emptied.  It appears that Labour's decision to increase the pay of the chief executive comes at the price of residents being kept informed of their services."

The decision not to distribute a calendar of the different bin collections - green and grey - in the borough will save £31,000. 

People will receive a calendar for their brown, garden waste bin if their collection day changes.

The pay increase for the authority’s new chief executive – set to be appointed in the coming months - is £45,000.

Cllr Williams said the change was “revealed” during a public meeting at Wallasey Town Hall last week, something the authority said is untrue.

But Cllr Bernie Mooney, cabinet member for environment and sustainability, said: “Far from this information being ‘revealed’ in a public meeting, the council issued a pro-active press release – which all councillors receive copies of - to let people know in good time not to expect a new calendar to be delivered to their home when the current calendars run out at the end of January.”

No household will see any changes to the days their bins are collected.

Cllr Mooney added: “Putting the calendars online for people to view or print at home is saving the council more than £31,000 in printing and distribution costs.

“People can still check the calendar at the touch of a button by going to wirral.gov.uk/recycling. Anyone who does not have access to a computer, tablet or internet connection can call into their local library or one stop shop for details.

“The calendars look the same as they always did - so I would urge people to let friends, family and neighbours know that they can download and print their own copies of the calendar if they need to.”