BIG changes are on the way for bin collections in York in a bid to improve languishing recycling rates in the city.

Some 800 homes in villages on the edge of York are to get better recycling collections, but many homes will see a change in their bin collections to accommodate the new routes.

On top of this, eight jobs are to go in City of York Council's waste department as it tries to meet crucial savings targets.

Cllr Andrew Waller, the executive member for environment, said: "We want to help people to recycle more, and with constrained budgets that means we need to review the way services are delivered."

The bin collection service has been running around £400,000 over budget over the last few years, Cllr Waller and the council's waste services delivery manager Rachel Stewart said, and that saving now has to be found or cuts will be needed elsewhere.

At the same time recycling collections are not running at full capacity, because recycling and bin collections take place on the same day in alternate weeks. By "de-coupling" collections, managers will be able to cut the number of routes and will fit an extra 800 homes in Kexby and other rural areas onto glass and green waste collection rounds.

From April, around 40 per cent of York households will see recycling collections de-coupled, meaning black bins and recycling will still be collected in alternate weeks, but on different days of the week. However, Cllr Waller said reducing the frequency of collections was "not on the agenda".

Cllr Waller, who is due to confirm the plans at a public decision session on January 9, said that recycling rates in York had "plateaued" since alternate weekly collections were introduced 11 years ago, and landfill taxes are costing the city dear. By introducing these changes he hopes to boost rates beyond the current 43 per cent.

Cutting two recycling collection routes will lead to the loss of eight full-time jobs, saving an estimated £262,000, but managers said they hoped to use voluntary redundancies and un-filled vacancies rather than compulsory redundancies. A further £116,000 should be saved by cutting the use of temporary staff.

New recycling lorries, due to arrive at the council in coming months, will also cut down the need to mix recycled materials.

Cllr Waller added: "We’ll reduce the need to co-mingle recycling - in 2015/16 over 2,900 tonnes was co-mingled which cost the council around £200,000 compared to if it was separated."

The streets which will see changes will be confirmed in mid-January, and information will be available online at www.york.gov.uk/wastechanges before letters are sent to affected households.

Free boxes, lids and nets will also be offered to households facing changes, and for 12 weeks after the change a "rapid response" mini bin collection vehicle will pick up any uncollected waste.

In the longer term, the council is planning to review "bring banks" - in places like supermarket carparks - to see if other materials like Tetrapak boxes can be included.