The chairman of a high-level Oxford City Council committee says ambitious recycling targets could still be met, despite the bar being lowered.

Green city councillor Sid Phelps said he only discovered this week that the ruling Lib Dem administration had cut the city's recycling target from 45 per cent, as stated in the authority's corporate plan, to 38.12 per cent.

The target was revised at a meeting last April, but the details have only just emerged.

It is hoped the higher target could still be reached thanks to an extra £67,000 for recycling initiatives for city flats and £100,000 for a pilot food waste collection scheme.

Mr Phelps, the chairman of the environment scrutiny committee, said that the new target had later been raised to 39 per cent.

He added: "The Liberal Democrat administration almost got away with a quiet trimming of the target, but we spotted it.

"Perhaps a little less sleight of hand and a bit more hands to the pump by the administration might be better for the people of Oxford."

Since the introduction of wheelie bins and fortnightly collections, city recycling rates have shot up from 19 per cent to a high of 40 per cent.

City councillor Jean Fooks, executive member for a cleaner city, was unavailable for comment.