RESIDENTS across the Forest of Dean are being asked to have their say on the future of recycling bring banks, with the district council considering options including removing its network altogether.

Forest of Dean District Council has launched a six-week consultation following changes to the way households recycle, with more materials now collected directly from homes through the kerbside service.

Bring banks are public recycling points for materials including glass and cardboard at locations across the district. They are separate from household recycling centres, meaning the consultation does not include Oak Quarry Household Recycling Centre, which is run by Gloucestershire County Council.

The district council currently spends around £134,000 each year operating the bring bank service, equivalent to about £3.24 per household.

Residents are being asked for their views on a range of options, from retaining a reduced network at key locations to removing council-operated bring banks completely.

The council stressed no decision had yet been made and said responses to the consultation would be considered before Cabinet decides the future of the service.

Under all of the options being considered, households would still be able to recycle glass bottles and jars, paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, food tins and drinks cans through kerbside collections.

Textiles would also continue to be collected from the kerbside, while small electrical items and household batteries can be recycled on refuse collection days.

Household recycling centres would remain available for larger quantities and materials which cannot be collected from homes.

The council said bring bank sites regularly caused problems including overflowing cardboard banks, littering, fly-tipping and businesses using facilities to dispose of commercial waste.

It said dealing with these problems required additional maintenance and clean-up work, increasing costs and affecting residents using the sites.

Cllr Andy Moore, Cabinet Member for Recycling and Waste, said: “Many residents now recycle more materials from home than ever before, thanks to the expansion of the council's kerbside recycling service.

“We're asking residents to have their say before any decisions are made, so that Cabinet can consider local views alongside service usage, costs and future recycling needs.

“Whether you use bring banks regularly, occasionally or not at all, we'd encourage you to take part in the consultation and tell us what matters most to you.”

The council said any savings made through changes could instead support other council priorities and future improvements to recycling services.

The consultation will remain open until Sunday, November 15, with residents able to respond online through the district council's website. Paper copies are also available on request.

Once the consultation closes, responses will be reviewed and considered by Cabinet before a final decision is made.

If changes to the bring bank network are approved, the council said they would not be introduced before summer 2027.

The authority said the review reflected a shift towards recycling at home, with the expanded kerbside service reducing the need to travel to recycling points. It wants to understand how often people use sites before deciding whether the network remains.