HOPES of merging bin collections across the whole of Worcestershire are on the verge of being dumped completely.

A long-running investigation into how to deal with the county's rubbish is about to be wound up without any sign of a potential deal on the horizon.

Back in January Worcestershire County Council agreed to let the districts co-ordinate a panel to examine the possible benefits of a merged rubbish and recycling service.

Eleven months on, the findings from it are being worked up and a merger is off the table.

Councillor Neil Laurenson, from Worcester Green Party, sits on the panel and said there was no serious desire to make it happen.

Speaking during a scrutiny committee meeting last night, he also said staff considered "the big bang approach" to a massive merger unrealistic.

The panel last met on Friday and a report is being pulled together on it.

Cllr Laurenson said: "The whole point of it was whether the councils wanted to merge bin collections, but there doesn't seem to be much appetite.

"Based on last Friday, I don't think we're looking at a joint bin collection service."

During the scrutiny committee meeting Councillor Andy Roberts, Worcester's cabinet member for cleaner and greener, echoed his comments.

The fact councils offer different services, from weekly rubbish collections in Malvern to fortnightly ones elsewhere, as well as varying staffing levels and ways of operation, are being cited as factors.

It has also led to completely different results for recycling, with 43 per cent of household waste in Wychavon being re-used but just 31 per cent in Malvern.

The biggest doubts came from the north Worcestershire councils, rather than the south, who are still keen on a more localised deal.

"Looking across the councils there was tremendous variance between them," said Cllr Roberts.

"Wyre Forest looked like they employ twice as many people as us, for example."

After the feedback Councillor Adrian Gregson, scrutiny committee chairman, hit out at the aim of the investigation being "as clear as mud".

"The terms of reference for this look hopelessly unclear," he said.

Councils in south Worcestershire will now focus on seeing if they can strike a merger, should a bid by Malvern and Wychavon for £250,000 of Government cash to draw up feasibility studies into shared services be successful.