THE first salvos in the battle for power in Southampton were fired last night.

And it was the thorny row over weekly bin collections which erupted again as Labour set out its stall for crunch local elections next month in a bid to wrest control of the city from the Tories for the next two years.

Labour leaders last night admitted they may scrap weekly household waste collections in favour of fortnightly pick-ups.

It’s one of the options being considered as part of a “full review” of waste collection services to boost recycling rates.

But they also promised residents cuts in parking charges and a new Southampton festival to restore pride in the city.

The local election manifesto launch was timed to coincide with a visit by leader Ed Miliband to the city.

But group leader Richard Williams drew fire from the Tories after he refused to commit to keep the weekly bin collections. Scrapping them could save more than half a million pounds but would cost a dozen bin collector jobs.

It is understood Labour has met with Eastleigh council leader Keith House to discuss merging bin collections.

Asked about Labour’s plans for weekly collections Cllr Williams said: “At the moment nothing is ruled in and nothing is ruled out.

“There is no particular priority on any form of collection in terms of traditional weekly as opposed to more Eastleigh style alternate weekly. There is nothing specific on that.”

Tory council leader Royston Smith accused Labour of “smoke and mirrors” and said Labour’s plans to bin weekly collections was the “worst kept secret at the council”. He said: “It doesn’t matter which way they cut it they want alternative weekly collections.

“What I find disgraceful is they don’t come out and say it.”

Cllr Smith pledged Tories would keep weekly collections and had already submitted a bid for Government cash to introduce glass collections as a reward.

The Lib Dems, who previously supported a switch to fortnightly collections, were last night unavailable for comment The war of words came after Labour councillors published a five-page election manifesto.

Group leader Richard Williams said he wanted to bring together all parts of the community and promote a “suitable Southampton” with a focus on environmental improvements to create jobs and growth as well as tackle crime and antisocial behaviour.

The party's five page manifesto pledges to tackle the root causes of inequality, raise educational standards, increase new housebuilding, and rebuild morale among council staff after Conservatives cut wages up to 5.5 per cent last summer to make budget savings and protect jobs.

The manifesto fails to mention a pledge to restore the pay cuts to council staff but Cllr Williams said it was still their plan to do so.

He added a controversial ten per cent council tax discount for pensioners would be reduced to five per cent if they came to power.

The Labour group will also seek to stop council job losses, get a better deal from private companies doing council work, trial public votes at elections to set local priorities, establish a city apprenticeship scheme and end the policy of selling council homes on the open market.

Other initiatives include a Dragons Den style plan for a year’s free rent on vacant city property for business start-ups and launching a week-long Southampton festival.

Labour will also seek World Heritage Site designation for Southampton’s city walls and medieval town and project images of the city’s world class art collection on to public buildings.

Mr Miliband, who hosted a question and answer session with residents at the new Eastpoint Centre in Thornhill, told the Echo a Labour victory was important for the people of Southampton who needed a council who would “start promoting jobs and investment”, had new ideas for housing and would have “proper relationship” with council staff.

He said Cllr Williams had “thought hard” about the priorities for the city and his “new leadership would make a difference to the people of Southampton”.

A succession of Labour front bench politicians have visited Southampton in recent weeks.

Tory council leader Royston Smith said Labour's manifesto was light on new policy and made promises that would hike council tax.

Conservatives published their manifesto in January promising further economic growth and free parking as well as keeping open Sure Start centres, libraries and leisure centres open.