Concerns have been raised that Powys County Council could follow the lead of a neighbouring local authority and fine people for putting rubbish in their black bins that could be recycled.

Last month it was revealed that staff from Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council have probed the contents of all 32,000 households there during the last eight years.

People found to be putting items that could be recycled in their black bin have been the subject of enforcement action which includes a fixed penalty notice of £100, and prosecution if it isn’t paid.

This has prompted Reform UK group leader Cllr Iain McIntosh to ask for clarity on the issue in Powys.

Cllr McIntosh said: “Does Powys council currently use or plan to introduce any form of systematic monitoring or enforcement of individual households recycling activity?”

Cabinet member for Highways, Transport and Recycling Jackie Charlton explained that the council already has the powers to enforce the separation of materials by residents at the kerbside.

Cllr Charlton said: “This is used already through our crews not collecting unsorted recycling and leaving side waste.

“They will leave either a contamination card or sticker the side waste, so that residents are clear as to why this action has been taken.”

She said that the reason behind this is to make sure that residents fully use the weekly recycling collection “so that they can manage” the three-weekly collection of black bins.

Cllr Charlton said that help is given to larger households who need “extra space” in their black bin.

Cllr Charlton said: “Most residents in Powys use the services we provide correctly, and this is shown by the high recycling rates that we achieve.

“There are, however, some who consistently fail to recycle their waste, and it is these residents that we need to focus on. “