Few things are guaranteed to create such fierce debate as suggesting changes in the way our waste is collected.

At present, in Oxfordshire alone we have five district councils all operating different systems of collecting waste and recycling.

There is little doubt that we will need to get much smarter about how we deal with waste, as simply burying it in landfill is becoming an increasingly expensive and unacceptable option.

The issue moved back into the national spotlight again this week with Shadow Chancellor George Osborne floating the idea that householders who recycle could be rewarded with payments of up to £30 a month. He condemned the Government's approach, using the threat of fines and taxation to force people to recycle, as 'old-fashioned and heavy-handed'.

But whether a carrot, or stick, approach is used, the most important element in the success of any recycling scheme is to ensure it has public support and is flexible enough to cope with various types of housing, some of which are not best suited to a growing number of wheelie bins.

We hope that South Oxfordshire District Council and the Vale of White Horse District Council will consult widely on the proposed overhaul to their joint waste collection and listen to concerns.