CITY bosses have vowed to look again at a controversial fortnightly household rubbish collection scheme that stirred up a storm of public opposition.

In a statement read at a Southampton City Council Cabinet meeting, leader Adrian Vinson said he would reconsider the plans.

His announcement came a week after the ruling Liberal Democrats ignored a crushing vote and pledged to push ahead with plans for the fortnightly service.

More than 4,000 Daily Echo readers had signed a petition calling on the council to dump its plans and there was outrage among residents' leaders following the decision.

Councillor Vinson told the Cabinet meeting: "We will look again at the scheme. We will use the experience of the first users of the scheme to see what changes and improvements are necessary and we will listen to anyone with a genuine concern."

He added that scrapping the scheme at this stage could cause "chaos and confusion," as well as meaning Southampton would lose out on a £1m government grant.

"I want to make it absolutely plain - a paper will be brought to this Cabinet shortly, outlining the options available and a review will take place," said Cllr Vinson.

But opposition councillors say the review is an empty promise.

Conservative deputy leader Royston Smith said: "I don't believe there are going to be any changes. I think this is just political posturing.

"The assessment will be ongoing because they can't avoid it. People will phone in and complain about the scheme, people will make them assess, but I don't think there will be any changes. If Mr Vinson was genuinely listening, he would scrap it now."

He added that the scheme's carefully planned introduction would give it a greater chance of success.

"They are introducing it in October when there's no heat, and they have introduced it in Bassett where many of the residents will be very sensible about how they try to implement the scheme.

"It would be very different if they rolled it out in an area of terraced housing in the middle of summer."

As the controversy rumbles on over the fortnightly waste collection proposals, we present a further selection of your views on the subject. See today's Southern Daily Echo.