RESIDENTS in Tendring will have to buy their own black bin bags.

Tendring Council’s waste bosses are scrapping the free bag scheme in a bid to save almost £158,000 a year.

The council’s waste contractor Veolia delivers 52 free black sacks to more than 68,000 homes every year.

Michael Talbot, councillor responsible for the environment, said: “These black sacks were introduced as bin liners for dustbins on health and safety grounds to save the dustman from having to lift heavy dustbins.

“The cost of this service, which is a discretional part of our mandatory obligations, now costs nearly £155,000 rising to an estimated £158,000 in 2016.

“Five years ago Tendring Council’s budget was £22million. It is now £12.5million, but the cost of the black sacks has risen from £122,000 over the same period.

“This just cannot continue at a time when we are all looking to cut £2million from our budget following government cuts.”

But Mark Stephenson, leader of the council’s Ukip group, said residents were unhappy that the service was being cut back.

He said: “I appreciate we have got to make the £2million of savings, but there is growing resentment that our residents have already paid for something that they are now being asked to pay for it again – it’s double taxation.

“There seems to be no long-term vision on our waste management – we seem to have an ad hoc kneejerk reaction, saying ‘we need to save money, let’s cut that’.

“What can we expect next – wheelie bins, fortnightly or monthly collections?”

Council leader Neil Stock said cutting the service was the right thing to do.

He said: “I don’t think people are going to suffer too much.

“There may be some teething problems, but this is the right decision. We have got