CALLS have been made for Colchester Council to compensate householders for missed bin collections - based on Victorian laws dating back 142 years.

Conservative group leader Dennis Willetts rewound to 1875 when daily payments were made to residents under the Public Health Act.

It was a lesson in law and history as he time-travelled to developments in the Public Health Act 1936, the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which governed waste collection.

He said: “All positive changes until July 2008 when Phil Woolas, Labour’s environmental minister quietly added an amendment to Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act stating waste collection authorities were no longer obliged to collect household placed for collection in contravention of the requirements under this section.

“A month ago an untried, untested and deficient waste collection regime meant parts of the borough came to resemble a tip.

“The administration failed to collect a considerable volume of rubbish which was left rotting in the streets.

“Had the compensation requirement not been abolished, there would’ve been significant compensation pay-outs to residents.

“We believe that would’ve focused the mind of the administration on how not to commit such major cock-ups.”

However, only ten councillors agreed.

Council leader Paul Smith (Lib Dem) called it a “rubbish motion” before adding a “miniscule figure” of 0.2 per cent of collections are missed in the borough.

He said: “Isn’t it interesting he seems to think going back to 1875 is a good idea?

“What they [the opposition] really should be talking about is the waste system, that’s what this motion is really about.

“We now have 700 tonnes less waste going to landfill. That’s over 60 buses full of waste. Recycling is up 49 per cent.

“The amount of compensation, if your waste is not collected for seven days, is five shillings. That’s 25p.”

Jessica Scott-Boutell, Colchester’s portfolio holder for waste and sustainability, made no comment.