North Herts could share a joint waste collection and street cleaning contract with East Herts from September as part of a scheme to save money and increase efficiency.

The North Herts District Council cabinet’s decision to proceed with a joint service comes after East Herts District Council also gave the proposal the green light.

Officers from both councils will now work towards the goal of a joint contract starting September.

Councillor Peter Burt, responsible for waste and recycling at North Herts District Council, said: “With both councils facing increasing financial pressures on budgets in future years, we need to consider different ways of working and explore what improvements and efficiencies could be achieved, while doing our bit to protect the environment.

“The waste collection and streets cleansing services for both councils make up a significant proportion of expenditure and the project could mean an improvement in cost effectiveness without residents seeing any difference to the service.”

East Herts councillor Tony Jackson, who has responsibilty for shared services, said: “The joint service will allow us to continue to provide an excellent service while also making considerable savings.

“As the pressures on our budgets are only set to increase, this is an excellent opportunity to reduce costs while maintaining a high standard of service.”