The cut to bin collections has left parts of Haringey looking like a “wasteland”, according to a councillor.

Councillor Richard Wilson is strongly against Haringey Council’s decision to replace weekly household waste collections with a fortnightly service to the west of the borough.

The leader of the Liberal Democrat group took a stroll down Caxton Road, Wood Green, which is affected by the 50 per cent cut to rubbish collections.

He said many of the bins were overflowing despite the next bin collection not being due for another three days.

He said: “Evidence from Noel Park clearly shows that Labour’s policy is turning some areas of the borough into a wasteland.

“Residents should not have to put up with rubbish filling their front gardens and pavements.

"This is a health hazard and is likely to attract vermin, foxes and further dumping.”

The changes came into effect in Muswell Hill, Highgate, Alexandra, Fortis Green and parts of Crouch End, Woodside, Noel Park, Hornsey and Bounds Green last month.

Cllr Wilson believes the scheme, which is expected to save the council up to £900,000 per year, is “unsuitable” for people who live in houses which are split up into multiple flats.

However, recycling is still collected once a week and each home affected by the altered service has received a new green wheelie bin to replace the small recycling boxes.

The Labour-led council aims to increase the amount of recycling in the borough by 40 per cent by 2015.

Councillor Nilgun Canver, who is the cabinet member for environment, is supporting the scheme, and said the cost of maintaining the weekly rubbish collections would require a one per cent increase in council tax next year.

The St Ann’s representative told the Haringey Independent last month that keeping weekly collections would cost council tax payers £3.6 million over four years.

The Labour councillor believes the scheme will create a greener Haringey by increasing recycling and reducing the costs of sending rubbish to landfill sites.

She said the Labour council’s commitment to the environment remains “resolute” and taxpayers should not have to cover the costs of weekly household waste collections.

Garden and food waste will continue to be collected weekly, with each house receiving special waste sacks to store their rubbish until it is picked up.

The council plan to bring the changes to the rest of the borough as soon as any possible problems to the service are ironed out.