Barnet Council says it aims to bring back brown bin collections in an apparent U-turn on its previous decision to scrap them.

The council has confirmed it plans to reintroduce separate food waste collections, which are due to be suspended from November 4, following a review of the service.

It has urged people to keep hold of their food waste bins and caddies but did not say when the collections would be resumed.

Councillors originally voted to scrap separate food waste collections at a meeting in June, when it was suggested residents throw their brown bins away.

The council claimed the move would save £300,000 a year.

But fears the decision contravened the London Environment Strategy led Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to warn the council he could overturn it.

Last month, members of the council’s environment committee voted to suspend the brown bin collections while changes were made to ‘outdated’ collection routes.

On Friday, the council issued a news release stating: “Starting this month Barnet officers will be reviewing how to the deliver the collection service so that it is both economically and environmentally beneficial.

“We will then look to reintroduce the separate food waste collection service to a timescale which meets the requirements of the London Environment Strategy.”

From November 4, recycling, waste and garden waste will be collected on the same day in an overhaul of the service that the council claims will save £750,000 a year.

It said the changes will “enable the service to respond to localised needs and allow the council to plan for future population growth in the borough”.

Residents will be sent leaflets before the end of the month explaining the service changes and setting out their new collection day.

Labour environment spokesperson Councillor Alan Schneiderman described the move as a “partial U-turn”.

He said: “First of all, they told people to throw away their brown bins and then wasted money on legal advice.

“The mayor was quite clear he was willing to direct, if necessary, so I think the council have done the minimum they can get away with.

“It is a partial U-turn to reintroduce separate food waste collections but without a time commitment.”

Chairman of Barnet Council’s environment committee Councillor Dean Cohen said: “The measures we’re putting in place will help us to deliver the recycling and waste collections service more efficiently and aims to ultimately make collections easier for residents.

“The changes will also enable us to make significant savings so we can protect vital local services for the people of the borough.”

More information about the service changes is available at www.barnet.gov.uk/recycling