HAMBLETON District Council has refused to move on a controversial policy for collecting rubbish from properties in isolated areas.

More than 900 farmers and country dwellers in the district will not have their curtilage waste collection reinstated after it was deemed dangerous and expensive by a review.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, councillors criticised the decision to enforce the collection policy.

The policy dictates that rubbish will be collected from the curtilage of isolated properties where there were three or more dwellings, provided there is vehicle access.

Where there were fewer than three dwellings, or where access is unsuitable, residents must put rubbish at the lane end for collection.

"It is appalling," said Coun David Webster. "I don't expect the council workers to tackle impossible access roads, but in the vast majority of cases these properties have roads big enough for six-axle farm equipment, let alone the rubbish collection vehicle."

Coun John Prest agreed, saying rubbish collection was one of the most important services provided by the council and should be reinstated to the rural properties.

Steve Quartermain, planning and environmental services director, said the policy affected only a small proportion of the 36,000 properties on the waste collection route.

"We must keep this in perspective," he said. "It will cost an extra £120,000 a year to collect those 900 bins, which is just not a sound investment. We would also have to ask our collectors to negotiate some very dangerous roads, including one case in which they have to cross a ford to reach the property.

"That is not an acceptable position for us to put our collectors and vehicles in."

Coun Neville Huxtable said he had a lane end collection and had experienced no problems with the service. He asked what provisions would be made for elderly and infirm people living in isolated properties, and chairman Arthur Baker assured the cabinet that assisted collections could be arranged in such circumstances.

Coun David Blades said: "A lot of authorities refuse point blank to collect anywhere off the main roads. We are already going the extra mile."

It was agreed to follow officers' recommendations to enforce the policy.