HOUSEHOLDERS in the Forest are still on course for fortnightly collections despite calls by Eric Pickles for a rethink.

The Communities Secretary announced a £250 million weekly waste collection fund at the Conservative party conference in Manchester.

But the man charged with revamping the Forest of Dean District Council bin collections says he doubts if this will lead to a U- turn.

Councillor Martin Quaile, cabinet member for the Environment believes the switch from plastic bags to large wheelie bins will go ahead in July 2012 as planned.

He says there is no reason for the council to go into reverse because the plans include weekly food collections.

Mr Pickles dislikes fortnightly collections because nobody should have to wait two weeks to have their leftover chicken tikka masala taken away.

The shake-up in the Dean will mean the end of weekly refuse collections and fortnightly recycling.

Householders will be given small bins for food waste that will be collected on a weekly basis.

Recycling and the leftover wheelie bin rubbish will be collected on alternate weeks. There will also be a £26 annual charge for green waste and the council will send out officials to help households who say they cannot use wheelie bins.