RUBBISH might only be collected every two weeks under controversial proposals which have been outlined by council chiefs.

The scheme will see household waste being collected one week and recyclable waste collected the alternate week.

Council officials are scouting the borough for a suitable location to build a recycling plant and, if given the go ahead, the proposals could be in place in little over a year.

But a row has broken out among the political parties at the town hall over who introduced it with Labour laying the blame at the Lib Dems' door, while they say it was Labour who first mooted the proposals back in 2005.

The council says it wants to bring in alternate weekly collections because it could face Government fines if is exceeds the amount of waste it sends to landfill sites and needs to increase the amount it recycles.

But the proposed policy comes on the back of a range of controversial changes to the bin collection system in the town.

Bin men are threatening industrial action over negotiations on changes to their contracts and residents have been told that their bins won't be collected unless the lids are flat.

The scheme was launched in neighbouring authority Vale Royal in 2004, and although the area now has one of the best recycling rates in the country. It caused chaos when it was first introduced with residents finding maggots in their bins and rats on the streets.

Warrington North MP Helen Jones has criticised the idea saying: "Already bins are being left unemptied and rats have been sighted in a number of areas due to the build up of uncollected rubbish.

"Maggots have even been reported in some bins. The environmental and health implications are obvious.

"Lib Dem councillors say that they are not to blame but frankly, the bins were collected without any of the current problems before they took control.

"Instead of admitting that the policy is not working, the new council leadership is talking about reducing the service to fortnightly collections. The rats and maggots must be rejoicing at this madness."

But Clr Brian Axcell, executive board member for environmental services, said: "We will have the advantage of learning from other people's mistakes and best practice and we would want to make sure all the procedures are in place before it starts.

"People have been enthusiastic towards recycling so far but we have to increase our recycle rates to meet Government targets."