TOWN councillors in Tavistock are urging more people in the town to sort their rubbish, after they were told there has been a dip in recycling for the first time in a number of years.

Devon County Councillor for Tavistock Debo Sellis informed councillors at a meeting last week that recycling had dipped from last year.

She said: 'This is the first dip for several years and has been put down to a variety of reasons, most notably bad weather and the economic downturn but, realistically, it is becoming more difficult to raise the figures once a certain point has been reached.

'A dustbin analysis last year showed 54 per cent of the contents were recyclable through existing collection schemes or recycling facilities.

'We must re-inforce the message to householders across Tavistock to recycle.'

Cllr Brian Trew said although councillors come under criticism for 'spying' on what people are putting in their rubbish, it showed that residents were not recycling as much as they should be.

He added: 'I think there ought to be harder and stronger consequences for people who don't recycle.'

Cllr Julia Whitcomb said it could be due to a lack of provisions: 'It could be due to a lack of food waste bags. West Devon Borough Council used to supply them but stopped and now you have to spend around £4 to buy them.'

Cllr Sellis said that she had not bought waste bags since the borough council stopped supplying them: 'I use newspaper to wrap the food waste in. Every council has to save money — I can't see the council giving the bags out for free again.'

Cllr Sellis said that she intended to send out a missive to parish and town councils to encourage recycling.