CHESTER City Council's new multi million pound waste collection and recycling contract, due to be introduced next spring, could be renegotiated in 2012.

The contract, with a weekly collection of black bag rubbish, differs from arrangements in Vale Royal and Ellesmere Port and Neston.

The option of weekly collections was a key plank in Chester Tories' election manifesto in 2007 when the Lib Dems and Labour were swept out of the Town Hall administration.

At the same time as the new bins are rolling out across the district, the city council and the other two boroughs will disappear, along with the county council, to be replaced by the new Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The issue emerged at a Cheshire West and Chester scrutiny committee when Northwich West Conservative Cllr Helen Weltman asked a question about the city council's decision to continue with a weekly waste collection service and the potential costs involved.

Cheshire West and Chester Leader Cllr Mike Jones (Con) and environment portfolio holder Cllr Neil Ritchie (Con), both of whom are city councillors, outlined the procurement process used by the city council and emphasised an option to break the contract in 2012.

This will give Cheshire West and Chester the opportunity to negotiate a new authority wide contract at that later stage, it was pointed out.

Up to 2012, the new council will have the opportunity to measure the three different arrangements to determine the most effective methods for the new contract.

Cllr Jones gave an assurance there would be a full consultation with residents on any new arrangements which were put forward.