Unpopular plans to get rid of public litter bins could be brought back in the future – after the council was forced to drop them this month.

Bracknell Forest Council leaders wanted to scrap around half of its litter bins across the borough – up to 500 out of some 900 – as part of cost saving plans. But they backed away from the proposal after people complained it would lead to more rubbish lining the streets.

Now councillor Helen Purnell – responsible for bins – has agreed that litter is a problem. But she said if residents all ‘come together to do our bit’ to keep Bracknell Forest tidy, the council might revive the plans to scrap the bins.

Councillor Purnell said: “Even though we have over 900 bins in the borough, litter is an increasing problem and it appears that some people will be predisposed to litter even if there is a bin in sight. We need to work together and change this culture.

“Let’s all come together to make our borough an even more beautiful place to live. It might then be possible in the future to reduce the number of litter bins that we have and put the funds into making further improvements in the borough.”

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Councillor Purnell added that the council will soon produce more information on recycling and reducing litter, and advertise litter picks in the local area.

She was speaking as Bracknell Forest’s leading group of councillors – its executive committee – discussed its proposed spending and savings plans for the coming year.

Early proposals said cutting the number of litter bins by half could save the cash-strapped council £30,000. But when asked about the plans, several people told the council they already saw too much litter in Bracknell.

One said: “There is enough litter on the ground already without encouraging some people to just throw litter on the floor.

“We have a tremendous number of ‘litter louts’ in Bracknell, especially on school routes!”

Councillor Purnell said council leaders had ‘listened’ to people’s thoughts and dropped the plans.

She said: “It’s become abundantly clear from the 330 responses to the consultation that our residents do not want to see a reduction in the number of litter bins or a reduction in the frequency that the grass verges are cut.

“When elected we made a promise that we would listen to residents and therefore we have taken the decision not to proceed this year with these savings.”

Councillors will debate and vote on whether to accept all of the budget proposals at a special meeting on February 21.