A decision to withdraw waste collections at 10 sites near moorings on the Broads has sparked fears it will spoil the area and deter valuable tourism.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council has decided to stop the collection and disposal service at 10 refuse compounds near the popular inland waterways from June 16.

At the heart of the dispute is whether the waste from these refuse sites should be classed as commercial or private.

The borough council says it is commercial waste from hire boats, so it does not have a legal responsibility to collect the rubbish and the £15,000 cost is overstretching its increasingly tight budget.

However, the Broads Authority's navigation committee and the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association disagree, saying much of the waste is from private cruisers and yachts, and the withdrawal would lead to fly-tipping and unwillingness from land owners to accommodate moorings.

At yesterday's navigation committee meeting, chairman David Broad said: 'This is a very serious development and very disappointing in terms of both the decision and the way it has come about. The lack of notice and the detrimental effect on the Broads, the economy and tourism is a significant concern. The Broads has National Park status and tourism is vital for the local economy but having rubbish lying around will impact on the environment and deter visitors.'

A spokesman for Great Yarmouth Borough Council said: 'The majority of these compounds are on private land. The Broads Authority and/or the landowners have the option to pay for the waste disposal themselves, or remove the compounds entirely. The borough council encourages boat users to take their waste home, or back to the hire point.

'The borough council will continue to provide domestic waste collection for the households in the vicinity of the hides, who say they do not use the compounds for disposal of household waste.

'In some areas, the borough council is in discussions with the parish councils about potentially installing additional litter-bins for use by members of the public on walks.'