RESIDENTS in Okehampton and the surrounding area are being given the option of how they would like their waste collected and asked how they think of ways to help improve the services available to the town.

West Devon Borough Council is seeking bids for contractors to carry out its recycling, waste collection and cleansing services and have offered a questionnaire to residents in West Devon as part of the process.

The questionnaire will help the council to gather the views of residents and find out what they want. So far more than 1,000 completed questionnaires have been collected from Okehampton.

Helen Dobby, the head of environmental services at West Devon Borough Council, said she would urge residents of the borough to join in the consultation process.

She said: 'Please tell us what you think — in particular we are seeking views on what materials you would like to see recycled and what type containers you would like to see used for storing your waste and recyclables.

'If the council can collect a greater range of recyclables from a greater number of households, we want to know how much non-recyclable waste you feel you might have left and what would be the best service for collecting this residual waste.

'If a greater range of recycling can be collected weekly, including a collection of food waste from every household, do people feel that they will need the current level of service for what is left?'

By making improvements to the way waste is collected, the council will also have to meet government targets.

These include reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill, increasing overall recycling performance and decreasing carbon emissions from vehicles.

Mrs Dobby added: 'West Devon has an excellent track record for recycling. We currently recycle 43% of our waste, however we can keep improving and the new service offers us some fantastic opportunities to recycle more.'

The waste services cost the council around £2 million, which is approximately a quarter of the council's total annual budget and the largest contract it runs.

In the next few months the council will be talking to potential bidders about the kind of service it can offer.

Alison Stoneham, the council's senior communications officer, said: 'What we need to know at the moment is what people want.

'We are currently going through the contract proceeder and there have been no firm decisions made.

'People in West Devon are really very concerned about recycling and how they can recycle differently.

'The questionnaire is a way of giving them the opportunity to tell us what they want and what they would like to have.

'There are many options on the table and no option will be discounted.'

The recycling service has grown considerably in the last few years, which in turn has offered a wider range of recycling collections, such as garden and food waste.

As a result it has led to more collection vehicles on West Devon's roads and a rise in carbon emissions.

Chairman of the borough council's environment and community committee, Councillor Robert Sampson, added: 'This is a great opportunity for residents to have their say before changes are made.

'Our aim is to provide an excellent service for the public which minimises waste going to landfill, maximises recycling and continues to successfully build on our overall environmental performance.'

West Devon's contract for the collection of its refuse, all types of recycling, street and toilet cleaning, is due to be renewed in April, 2010.

The questionnaires can be filled in online at http://www.westdevon.gov.uk/wastesurvey">www.westdevon.gov.uk/wastesurvey or can be collected from Okehampton Customer Services office and Okehampton Library.

All questionnaires must be handed in by the Sunday, September 20.

Further copies can be obtained by contacting environmental services on 01822 813738.