ENVIRONMENTALISTS have called for Brighton and Hove to ditch weekly refuse collections to save money and boost recycling rates.

Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth say the move to fortnightly would be a “no brainer” especially in a climate of devastating cuts to other services.

The call comes as another Sussex council is preparing to go fortnightly which will save them £1 million a year.

Horsham District Council say they want to improve their recycling rates above its current 45 per cent to meet government targets – a rate that is already far in excess of the city council’s own dismal recycling rates.

The city council has once again ruled out the move saying it was exploring other options such as wheelie bins, communal bins and garden waste schemes.

The Labour administration’s focus on improving waste collection is beginning to bear some fruit with the first rise in recycling rates in four years.

Three quarters of authorities round the country already do fortnightly refuse collection including five of twelve Sussex councils.

The issue is set to become more pressing for local authorities with a government grant incentivising councils not to take up fortnightly collections set to end next year.

Councils are also under pressure to hit the Government’s recycling rate of 50 per cent by 2020 – a target no Sussex council achieves at present and a figure that is around double what Brighton and Hove, Lewes and Crawley all currently achieve.

Chris Todd, Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth, said: “Fortnightly collections would be perfectly feasible and practical, other councils have demonstrated that already.

“It would not be a drastic measure.

“It seems a no brainer especially when the council is facing cuts to all sorts of vital services like parks and open spaces, children’s services.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokeswoman said: “The council agreed its Waste and Recycling Strategy last year which does not include consideration of fortnightly refuse collections.

“Instead we are focussing on delivering an efficient waste collection service by investing in new communal bins, the popular Big Belly litter bins and undertaking commercial waste collections.

“We are increasing recycling levels through the use of new, wheeled bins, garden waste and textile collections.”

An Adur and Worthing councils spokeswoman said: ''Adur and Worthing councils are firmly committed to maintaining its weekly household waste service, there are currently no plans to alter or reduce this offer."

Eastbourne, the only one of the East Sussex Joint Waste Partnership which does not have fortnightly refuse collections, is also said to have no plans to change its current arrangements.

A Department of Communities and Local Government Spokesman said: “We’ve safeguarded weekly bin collections for six million households and our clear guidance shows councils how weekly collections can be delivered cost effectively.

“Local councils will have almost £200 billion to spend over the lifetime of this parliament on services that local people most want.”