AN overhaul of the refuse collection service, which will see bins emptied four days a week instead of the present five, has been agreed.

Easington District Council says the change, to start in April, will create a more responsive service and reduce costs.

Under the new arrangements, the district will be divided into four collection zones, with teams working from Tuesday to Friday to empty the bins.

The system will leave Mondays free as a catch-up day, to deal with any backlog in collections caused by bad weather or other interruptions.

It will also end the disruption to service caused by bank holiday Mondays and the lengthy lay-off during the Christmas holidays.

Each of the zones will have its own Clean and Green team, which will work with residents to tackle litter hot spots and other environmental problems.

Oliver Sherratt, the authority's director of community services, said: "We are always looking at ways of improving our services and offering the best value for money.

"The proposed changes to refuse collection could not only help us save as much as £58,000 a year, but also enable us to offer an improved and more efficient service."

Residents will be advised of changes to their collection day before the introduction of the new system.