Councillors have spoken out against the removal of four plastics recycling banks in the Craven area.

Craven District Council recently received notification that plastic bottle banks in Cross Hills, Ingleton, Settle and Skipton would be removed by the end of the week.

The council’s recycling contractor Recresco, which owns the banks, has said it will no longer provide the service due to spiralling costs – and so far the council has not found anyone to take over the service.

The plastics banks being removed are in Hall Street car park in Cross Hills, Community Centre car park in Ingleton, Whitefriars car park in Settle and the rear of High Street car park in Skipton.

“This is a vital service for the residents,” said Coun Graham Beck, Glusburn ward councillor. “Things like this are very important to local people.”

Coun Carl Lis, lead member for Greener Craven and ward councillor for Ingleton and Clapham, said: “This is a real blow for our recycling scheme.

“People in Craven want to recycle and it is our job as a council to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.

“To be given notice by our contractor that it will cease this service because of high costs is really disappointing. We are working hard to find an alternative.”

Coun Beck added: “The residents of Cross Hills and Glusburn are good at recycling, and the bin at Hall Street car park is very well used by local people.”

Residents who have been using the recycling banks are now urged to put any plastic bottles in their blue bin for recycling.

Other plastics, such as margarine tubs, ketchup bottles, yoghurt pots and ready- meal trays will have to go in the green bin.

“Saying that people are going to have to shove their plastics into the blue bins is not acceptable,” said Coun Beck. “Not everyone has the blue bins, especially if they live in back-to-back terraces.”

He also found it “frustrating”that ward councillors were not told about the changes well in advance.

“The council needs to be working hard on finding a solution because the residents already pay enough for recycling.”