SCRAPPING free black bin bags in the Tendring district would save council bosses almost £158,000 a year, a report has revealed.

Tendring Council’s waste contractor Veolia currently delivers 52 free black sacks to more than 60,000 homes every year.

The council’s cabinet wants to save £4million over the next two years and believes cutting the provision of free black bags would make a significant contribution to the target.

However, Labour group leader Ivan Henderson said it would be a mistake to cut black bags.

“Tendring Council is not hitting its recycling targets as it is,” he said.

“If people are forced to buy bags, they will buy the cheapest.”

A decision on cutting the free bags will be made at a meeting of the cabinet tomorrow.