Public money is being wasted in one residential area of Helston due to rubbish being collected just hours after the road is swept, one town councillor has claimed.

Councillor Vicky Matthew told last Thursday's meeting of the town council that the road sweeper always came to Marconi Close around two hours before the dustbins were emptied - meaning the benefits of the swept road were immediately lost as rubbish dropped out of bins and blew away during collection.

Mrs Matthew said: "As far as I'm concerned it's wasting money. It doesn't do the job it's meant to because the dustbins are then emptied."

She added that she had tried to contact Kerrier district council herself about the problem but was told nothing could be done, so she was now looking for the backing of the town council.

Helston mayor Niall Devenish said: "I can't see any harm in trying to get some co-ordination of when the dustbins are emptied and the sweeper coming around. It just seems to be plain and simple common sense."

Members agreed to write to Kerrier council to ask for a change in the times of the road sweeper - although as councillor Keith Reynolds joked: "Looking on the bright side, it is 166 hours after the bins are emptied!"