THE new Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council is set to spend £1.2 million on new bin lorries.

Councillors are set to approve the move which will enable it to take over rubbish collections in Christchurch next year.

A report says that the vehicles used in the borough need to be replaced and that not doing so would result in “significant” maintenance costs.

Despite next month’s merger with Bournemouth and Poole, rubbish collections in Christchurch will continue to be carried out by Dorset Waste Partnership until April 2020.

The decision was taken due to concerns that the new council would be unable to extend its existing Bournemouth and Poole collections to the borough in time.

Preparations are now being made for the takeover of the service, including the purchase of a fleet of new vehicles.

Members of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole shadow authority’s executive committee are being recommended to approve a £1.2 million budget which would fund six new regular bin lorries and two food waste collection trucks.

A report to the council’s shadow executive committee says that the vehicles used in Christchurch “are near end of life” and that not replacing them would result in “significant” maintenance costs.

The council’s commissioning manager for major projects, Georgina Fry, warns that “regular breakdowns” would occur should the purchases not be approved.

“If new vehicles are not purchased, regular maintenance and hefty service costs from Christchurch’s current waste fleet would be incurred,” it says.

“Regular vehicle breakdowns would lead to an increasingly unreliable collection service at a time when stability and confidence are of paramount importance.

“Replacement vehicles could be leased as an interim although hire costs are ongoing and substantial and do not represent value for money.”

Councillors will decide whether to approve the move at the committee’s meeting on Tuesday (March 12).