Taxpayers are being dealt a raw deal over the cost of rubbish collections, it has been claimed.

Martin King, former leader of Adur District Council, says the merger of Adur and Worthing councils' budgets for refuse and recycling will force Adur residents to pay more than their fair share.

The council agreed to a programme of partnership working in July, initially sharing management.

Last week, councillors from Adur and Worthing met at Lancing Parish Hall to discuss the first joint service budget for the councils' refuse and recycling and agreed to the draft budgets for 2007/8 and 2008/9.

The cost for household refuse collection and recycling in Adur and Worthing - £4.4 million for 2008/9 - is split 36.4 per cent and 63.6 per cent respectively, based on the number of households.

But Mr King says the management costs have been split equally, which is unfair on Adur residents.

He said: "The report is biased in favour of Worthing council, with the management costs being unfairly allocated between the two councils.

"The proposed split for management staff is 50/50. This will cost Adur an extra £129,000, almost three per cent in our council tax. The report makes no attempt to justify why this should be the case.

"To make matters worse, the report then proposes that the management costs should be split 40 per cent to Adur and 60 per cent Worthing for all future joint services.

"This highlights the problem of having one chief executive for both councils."

The leaders of Adur and Worthing councils have dismissed Mr King's claims.

Neil Parking, leader of Adur, said the councils decided the costs would be split equally because the job they were doing was not based on the number of households in each town.

He said: "It is a load of nonsense. On the next tier down, the day-to-day running is split 40/60, which is based on households numbers.

"We are looking at saving £2 million by 2011.

"This year both councils have taken savings of £130,000 because of this joint working."

Keith Mercer, leader of Worthing council, said: "At senior management level it is the same job for both councils and I think it is fair to split the cost equally.

"With regard to refuse and recycling per household, it has been split equally and it's incorrect for Mr King to make that claim."

There are about 26,500 households in Adur and 44,128 in Worthing.

ruth.lumley @theargus.co.uk