TODAY is B-Day for Southampton City Council over it's controversial rubbish collection plans.

But those fighting the City Council's proposals to replace weekly household collection with a fortnightly one have been urged: "Don't give up the fight".

That's the message from campaigners in the London Borough of Sutton to Southampton residents trying to force the city council's ruling Liberal Democrats to scrap their rubbish collection plans.

The long-running battle in Sutton eventually saw a controversial collection of household waste every two weeks scrapped by the ruling Liberal Democrat group.

In Nuneaton, campaigners also forced the ruling Labour group to change its mind over a similar scheme - just two weeks after it was introduced.

There are just hours to go before city councillors debate the issue which has got the whole of Southampton talking.

Thousands of people have signed the Daily Echo's petition demanding the council drop its plans to introduce once a fortnight collection of household waste with an alternate weekly collection of recyclable rubbish.

Over 3,600 people have signed our petition urging the council to abandon the controversial scheme and retain collection of household waste on a weekly basis - as well as introducing a recycling scheme.

Today, the city's 48 councillors will vote on a Labour amendment which urges the council to collect household rubbish on a weekly basis - and introduce a recycling scheme including glass collection.

Tory insiders say the 12-strong group may be poised to join forces with Labour's 16 councillors and vote for the Labour amendment. It would mean that the 18 strong Liberal Democrat group would face certain defeat. Independent councillor and Southampton's Sheriff Councillor Harry Mitchell has also strongly indicated he would be voting for the Labour amendment.

He said: "I am in favour of a weekly collection of household waste."

Labour Leader Councillor June Bridle told the Daily Echo: "The Tory group could quite happily support our motion tomorrow. It is their decision not ours."

Tory group deputy leader Councillor Royston Smith said: "We will be voting to urge the Liberal Democrats to keep refuse collection weekly and we will be voting with whoever supports us in that."

Meanwhile, campaigners who battled against a similar recycling scheme introduced in Sutton - also controlled by the Liberal Democrats - urged Southampton residents not to give up the fight to retain collection of household waste on a weekly basis.

Tory councillor David Pickles collected over 22,000 signatures during his campaign The authority eventually abandon the scheme in August 2001 in favour of a once a week collection of household waste and a once a fortnight collection of recyclables.

Labour controlled Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council also scrapped its own project after only two weeks and returned to a once a week collection of household waste.

Cllr Pickles said: "It is not now that people will find a problem with the scheme. It is when spring comes and you have a very hot summer as we have had this year."

Southampton City Council leader councillor Adrian Vinson said his group was fully behind Councillor Jill Baston - the councillor responsible for introducing the scheme.

He added it was "simply untrue" that the council could abandon its plans overnight. He said: "We have made it absolutely clear that we shall be monitoring the implementation of the scheme and will review people's experience and act accordingly."