One of the proposals outlined in the Green manifesto for Brighton and Hove is to reduce general waste collections to fortnightly, alongside weekly recycling collection and a new food waste collection service.

The plans have attracted criticism from opposition parties and some residents, who have expressed concerns that missed collections could result in rubbish piling up for several weeks.

However, Phelim Mac Cafferty, the leader of the Green-led council, said that all of the party’s policies would be “evidence-based”.

The proposal to reduce waste collections in the city is among the policies included in the Green Party's manifesto for the city (Image: Brighton and Hove Green Party)

He said: “The vast majority of councils are already doing this - even seven years ago, three-quarters of councils had already moved to this system.

“In effect, what we would be doing is repeating what is happening with other councils and they have not been harmed by moving to that.

“In fact, what happens when you move to fortnightly waste collections is actually that the focus starts to move to what’s recyclable.”

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He also said that the plans would only affect areas of the city that have a bin collected from their home.

“Much of the city, including the vast majority of the city centre, has communal bins and we are not talking about those being only emptied once a fortnight,” he said.

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The plan to cut waste collection has sparked an outcry from Conservative councillors, who said the policy would make issues with overflowing bins considerably worse.

Alistair McNair, Conservative candidate for Patcham and Hollingbury, said: “We get contacted every day about missed collections - it’s endless and it’s the number one thing people care about.

“I would worry whether, if services were cut to fortnightly, they would even manage that. If they miss a rubbish collection, which happens very regularly, it would be a month before it was taken away.

“There would be even fewer collections for residents and people will be paying for a service they aren’t getting.”

Labour deputy leader Amanda Evans also slammed the move and said: "The idea that reducing bin collections to fortnightly should be seen as a positive idea is just one example of how out-of-step the Greens are with most residents, particularly those not in their core areas."

Voters go to polls to elect 54 councillors from across Brighton and Hove on May 4.