Hopes are rising that Brighton and Hove's flagging recycling rates will pick up after councillors approved an incentive scheme that would reward communities.

Recycling rates in the city have dropped to about 25% in recent years and the city is now far below neighbouring authorities like Bristol, Cheltenham and Bournemouth, which all have recycling rates above 40%.

The recession and changes to buying habits have all been given as reasons for the decline.

But councillors are now hoping the rate will pick up with the cash rewards on offer.

The council currently saves about £56 for every tonne of recycling it receives.

Under the new proposal about £15 would be put into a special "community fund" for every additional tonne it brings in.

The money would then be split into grants - ranging from about £1,000 to £5,000 - that community groups could bid for at the end of the year.

Councillors largely welcomed the scheme, which it is hoped could bring the council's recycling rates up to about 35%, but Labour councillor Gill Mitchell said she was sceptical the scheme would make any significant difference.