TAXPAYERS in Cleobury could face an additional £8 a year Council Tax hike after a row broke out over who should foot the bill for refuse collection over-run costs.

SouthShropshire County Council has been accused of "bully boy tactics" by South Shropshire District Douncil chiefs after it said it would not pay for household waste collected in the district to be taken to landfill sites outside the district. The decision was retrospectively dated to April 1, 2001.

The county council said its decision was linked to whether or not the district council "prevents the development of a waste transfer station at Long Lane, Craven Arms, progressing." The cost of the decision to the district would be around £120,000 a year.

Graham Biggs, chief executive of the district council, said: "We have very strong counsel's opinion the county council is acting unlawfully.

"The district council will refer the matter to binding arbitration unless the county council changes its position and agrees to continue to meet the over-run costs from April. The impact of another £120,000 of expenditure on our already ailing budget does not bear thinking about."

The joint leaders of the district council, Mike Williams and Heather Kidd, added: "We are highly displeased with the bully boy tactics of the county council.

"They have reneged on the refuse overrun costs agreement between the two councils in an attempt to force us into a decision to dispose of land at Craven Arms for a waste transfer station."