BIN collections in Bolton will not be carried out by private companies, a senior councillor has pledged.

Trafford Council, Greater Manchester’s only Conservative run council, will be the first authority in the region to outsource waste collections, with its leader, Cllr Sean Anstee, expecting to begin the privatisation process next year.

But the suggestion that Bolton could follow in Trafford’s footsteps has been rebuked by Cllr Nick Peel, executive member for environmental services.

He said: “We have no plans to privatise things like bin collections and other services.”

“The suggestion that all the local authorities could follow suit is like saying we could all provide big umbrellas for every time it rains.

“Things like bin collections are a universal service that are paid for by council tax and that is not something we want to change.”

In March, Cllr Peel said the council had no plans to charge people for bin collections following suggestions from Education Minister David Laws that it could be a way for authorities to respond to a cut or freeze in the central government grant.

Cllr Peel added: “I think that idea is crazy really and Bolton Council has no plans whatsoever to introduce charges for bin collections — that is completely barmy.”

Cllr Peel is standing for re-election in the Tonge with The Haulgh ward on Thursday, May 22.