Fareham Council's executive refused a request from the Transport Workers' Union for a strict 'closed bin' policy which would have given binmen the right to refuse to empty bins whose lids were not fully closed.

The council will maintain the present flexible policy, which means a bin will be emptied if its lid is halfway open, but not if it is grossly overloaded.

In such a case, binmen can take out the excess bags, empty the bin, then place the bags back in the bin for re-collection.

The binmen wanted tougher rules because of fears overloaded bins or unsecured rubbish might fall from the lorries' hoists, or staff might be hit in the face by a partially open lid hitting them in the face.

These concerns are not unreasonable. And they show yet again, the folly of the ruling Conservatives decision to cut collections of household waste from weekly to fortnightly.

Bins are far more likely to be overloaded if they are emptied only every other week.