SOUTHAMPTON'S controversial once a fortnight rubbish collection scheme may be scrapped after all, the Daily Echo can reveal.

Labour councillors look set to scupper an attempt by the ruling Liberal Democrat group to finally draw a line under the controversy and roll out the scheme across the rest of the city.

Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Adrian Vinson would not be drawn on whether he would resign if the flagship scheme was scrapped.

He said: "We will consider our options when the situation is real rather than hypothetical. If the council were to seek to enforce a policy which the public has said is not their preference and undermines our recycling targets the administration would have to take stock of its position."

He added: "The MORI poll had an absolutely clear-cut result. We hope all members of the council will honour the expression of public opinion.

"It would be undemocratic to do otherwise. I find it difficult to believe that anyone could be so cynical as to go back on a clear agreement."

Members of the full council looked set to rubber-stamp the roll-out of the scheme at a meeting due to be held today.

But in the latest twist to the long-running saga, the city's opposition Labour group has decided not to back the Liberal Democrats' flagship "twin-bin" collection scheme, following a meeting on Monday night.

Instead, party insiders say that they will try to force the Liberal Democrats to introduce once-a-week household waste collection - as well as retaining a once-a-fortnight collection of recyclable waste.

Meanwhile, Tory group councillors look likely to also vote against the controversial once-a-fortnight collection.

Last week, the Daily Echo reported how a MORI poll of residents already included in the scheme had seen a staggering 90 per cent of residents in favour.

But according to Labour group leader, Councillor June Bridle, the results of the poll were "flawed."

She said: "The poll did not ask straight questions. It didn't ask anybody who lived in a house of multiple occupation and did not ask anybody who lived in difficult areas of the city."

The long-running saga of Southampton's so called "twin-bin" collection scheme began in summer last year when city bosses announced they would be introducing alternate weekly waste and recyclable waste collections. But the project caused massive controversy in the city with residents fearing that bins containing household waste would end up overflowing with rubbish. Residents also feared that their bins would become magnets for flies and smells.

The city-wide roll-out of the scheme was halted in February following a series of tense budget meetings.

The ruling Liberal Democrat group agreed to halt the process until the MORI survey was published.

All groups agreed to abide by the findings of the survey and an inquiry by the environment and transport scrutiny panel. On Monday, the ruling Liberal Democrat Cabinet agreed to roll-out the scheme across the rest of the city by summer 2005.

Conservative deputy group leader Councillor Royston Smith said: "It has always been our policy to maintain a weekly refuse collection for the citizens of Southampton and until they tell us that is not what they want, that will be our policy."