Petitions have started appearing all over the county as residents and councillors express their disgust in the Conwy County cabinet's decision to introduce four weekly bin collections.

Just a month after the Conwy County Borough Council (CCBC) turned down the decision to introduce a monthly bin collection - because of public backlash - the cabinet have now made a u-turn and will go ahead with plans to phase in four-weekly bin collections across the county by the end of 2019.

Residents took to Facebook last week expressing their disgust with the matter.

Claire Domney said: "Come summer time every street will be a giant cloud of flies and rats, I suggest we all shares in Rentokil."

Claire Eeles said: "How are they justifying putting our council tax up 5 per cent and giving us less services?"

While Mark Anthony Izzard Watson said: "Those overpaid office workers will find any way possible to fund their wages, it's an absolute joke."

Residents aren't the only ones unhappy with the decision, with county councillors also expressing their disapproval of the decision.

County councillor Mike Priestly, Marl electoral division, said: "I have been contacted by hundreds of people about the cabinets decision and the majority are opposed to the decision.

"A lot have said how can nine people around a table make a decision like this? Why was it not a full council decision? I am still confused myself and think this decision was premature."

Cllr Priestly said he agreed with the county's work to try and increase recycling but said people needed to be educated more before introducing such a plan.

He said he had signed a petition already, which had made it to more than 5400 signatures by the time the Pioneer went to print yesterday.

Colwyn Bay Town Mayor, Jeff Pearson, said there were a lot of petitions going around and he hoped the growing number of complaints would change the mind of the CCBC.

Cllr Pearson said: "The council put the tax up by five per cent, they are making money off residents and providing less of a service.

"I encourage everyone to write a letter of complaint to their local councillor. Back them up, so they can go to the cabinet and try and get them to change their minds."

The decision to keep bin collections at three weeks last year was made because cabinet members were concerned residents needed to be educated further on recycling and four-weekly bin collections

At the latest cabinet meeting, held last week, members heard recycling had increased by 14 per cent and black bin waste reduced by 31 per cent in the trial period. However, it was said residents were still having problems and more was needed to be done to help.

Addressing the cabinet at the meeting, council Leader cllr Gareth Jones said: "Time is not on our side, neither locally nor globally. Increasingly, environmental and sustainability needs are changing political and economic policies.

"We are witnessing that – we have an opportunity to play our part in accelerating that change or stalling it."

The decision passed five votes to four in favour, which lead Llandudno Town Councillor Carol Marubbi to ask the question, why are five people making decisions for the entire county.

She added: "I think it's disgraceful."