MAJOR changes to the way rubbish will be collected across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse have received mixed reactions from householders.

The two district councils are joining forces to introduce a new waste collection service next year.

The new features include weekly food waste collections for composting, and the fortnightly collection of non-food rubbish, possibly from wheelie bins - although the type of receptacle has not yet been confirmed.

Glass will be collected in green recycling boxes for the first time in South Oxfordshire, with recyclables continuing to be collected weekly - although, again, the green box could be replaced by another type of bin.

Fortnightly collections of garden waste will continue.

Residents have welcomed the changes in the Didcot, Abingdon, Wallingford and Wantage areas, although concerns were voiced about wheelie bins in some areas.

Charles Lineker, 43, of Ladygrove, Didcot, said: "I welcome changes if it is going to improve the environment and help keep the area tidy, but the average household can have between four and nine bags of rubbish which is a lot of waste to fit in the wheelie bin.

"I think the big problem will be educating people to separate their food waste because at the moment it's all just put in one big black sack."

Freda Griffiths, chairman of Great Western Drive estate residents' group, also welcomed the changes.

Mark Thornton, 37, of Hobbs Close, Abingdon, said: "Anything that helps reduce waste that goes into landfill has to be a good thing.

"I think anything that encourages recycling has to be a good thing but as long as it's done in a way that supports the more vulnerable people in the society otherwise we are really going to punish them."

Ken Hall, chairman of Berinsfield Parish Council, said: "I have not had one word of adverse reaction about their introduction.

"As far as we are concerned, they can't be introduced soon enough."

Pat Granados lives in a terraced house in Castle Street, Wallingford.

She said: "No-one wants to drag wheelie bins through the house or have them all week on their front doorsteps. That would be a recipe for disaster in Castle Street because the pavements are so narrow. Wheelie bins can be heavy and difficult to manhandle, particularly for the elderly."

Jean Scurlock, 63, of Fleetmeadow Residents' Association in Didcot was opposed to the plans. She said there were too many flats on the Fleetmeadow estate for wheelie bins to be practical.

In Wantage, town councillor Pat Brundle said the system would not work because people would be confused about which items go in which bin.