Bin collection days could change following a switch in waste management firms, a council says.

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) has announced French company Suez will collect household waste and clean streets throughout the borough from March 25.

However, while council bosses say “most of the services will remain the same”, collection days and weeks could change.

Suez will take over from the authority’s long-standing waste management partners Biffa after the contract went out for tender last year.

The new deal includes proposed improvements to the level of cleansing in rural and residential areas, as well as quicker response times on removing fly-tipping.

Cllr Steve Campkin, cabinet member for climate and environment, said: “We are retaining large parts of our existing service and many of the staff, including collection crews who will be staying the same, which I’m sure will please residents, as they are popular and extremely hard working.

“While most of the service will remain the same, from Monday 25 March collection days and weeks may change.

“This means every week half of the borough will have their recycling (green bin) collected, while the other half of the borough will have their general waste (grey bin) collected.”

Fortnightly collections of general waste and recycling will continue across the borough, alongside the weekly food waste collection and the optional fortnightly garden waste collection.

Cllr Kate Walder, cabinet member for recreation and public spaces, said: “Ashford is the number one recycling borough in Kent, and one of the best at recycling in the Southeast.

“We are looking to continue this good work by working with our new, experienced contractor SUEZ.

“The new contract offers the chance to increase recycling rates further, have more efficient routes, lower emission vehicles and better technology to keep residents up to date on collections.”

Recent figures from Defra show that the Ashford borough has the highest recycling rate in Kent at 51%.

The new vehicles are being funded directly by the council to help save costs.

ABC say the vehicles will be “more modern” and will “help reduce the consumption of diesel dramatically”.

James Farquhar, regional manager at Suez, said: “We are pleased to be delivering the new waste and street care services across the borough from later this month.

“Our experienced teams are committed to delivering the highest standard of customer service within the local community and we look forward to working with Ashford Council alongside the wider Mid-Kent partnership as part of the new contract.”