Bin collections for thousands of households in a Scottish region could soon take place once every four weeks, under a new town hall trial.

Fife Council's executive has green-lit a 12 month pilot of two new options for picking up household wheelie bins, one of which would see general waste collections falling in frequency to just once a month.

Councillors believe that both collection arrangements could improve recycling rates and save council funds. Seven options were originally considered for the pilot, with a final pair now being taken forward.

Option one for Fife would see general waste, plastics, tins, paper and card collected once every three weeks.

The second option to be tested will see the frequency of general waste collections falling to once every four weeks, with plastics and tins fortnightly and paper and card remaining at four weekly.

Both options would see garden and food waste moving from fortnightly to four weekly collections throughout the year.

Chris Ewing, chief operating officer at resource efficient solutions, the new company set up by Fife Council to provide waste and consultancy services, said: 'Fife is well placed to meet the Scottish Government target of 60% recycling by 2020 but considerable effort will have to be made now to meet the 2025 target of 70% recycling of all wastes.

'Customer feedback on the four bin system was overwhelmingly in favour of increasing the current four weekly collection of the green bin.'

Following the trial, the preferred option will be put forward for rollout across Fife by 2018.

Communities secretary Eric Pickles has long voiced his support for weekly bin collections, claiming the Conservatives have 'actively supported' the measure while in power.