You can take the dog bins out of Maidstone, but you can’t take out the dog poo.

Maidstone council has removed dozens of bins, in an attempt to save £20,000 in emptying costs, but the move is causing a stink among dog-owners.

The council says pet waste can go in regular litter bins instead, but some have been stringing their poo-bags on the missing bins’ support frames.

Dog-owner Terry MacDonald of Wrangleden Road, Park Wood, said: “The place is disgusting. What were the council thinking of?

“They have taken away seven bins and intend to replace them with one ordinary bin, which hasn’t gone in yet!”

He added: “It was bad enough when there were seven bins. I had to ring the council many times as they did not get emptied, spewing all over the floor. If they were full before, why would we need fewer bins now?”

Mr McDonald also raised concerns about joint-use bins, saying: “Young children are noted for not throwing rubbish in a bin, they always put their arm in.” Mr MacDonald promised: “Next election, the candidate that promises to restore dog bins will get my vote.”

The situation is just as bad in Bearsted, according to Janis Kay, from Barming, who found, after a walk with her Yorkshire/Jack Russell cross in Bluebell Woods, off Hermitage Lane, that the only bin was full.

She said: “It’s all very well for the council to talk about the need to make budget cuts. With all the extra houses being built, there are going to be more people walking dogs.”

Cllr Matt Burton (Con), ward councillor for Park Wood, said: “I have a lot of sympathy with the residents who are unhappy.

“Removing the dog bins was part of a decision to rationalise waste collection in the borough, but the decision was taken with the condition that there should be sufficient co-mingled bins.

“I am in communication with officers seeking to ensure we get more co-mingled bins.”