A new waste collection service which charges people for the removal of bulky household waste has been branded a failure.

Labour members on Oxford City Council's health and environment committee criticised Liberal Democrat and Green councillors for introducing the system which they say has increased fly-tipping.

They said people were unwilling to pay the £18.80 charge for the removal of up to three items, which include goods such as washing machines, settees and cookers.

Figures presented to the committee show that in April, in response to the introduction of charges, requests for collections fell from 997 last year to 616.

However, in the same month, reports of flytipping rose from 12 to 55.

In May there was an increase from 38 to 64, a rise of 38 to 43 in June, and 44 to 53 in July.

Cllr Susanna Pressel, Labour's health and environment spokesman, said: "This has been a complete dis- aster."

She said the charges should be scrapped because of the increase in fly-tipping.

Labour councillor Gill Sanders said: "I've been called to a number of houses where people are complaining about fly-tipping, such as in the Rose Hill area.

"There are certainly areas in the city where the effects of this charge are very obvious and there are households in this city where £18.80 is a lot of money."

Her colleague, Cllr Peter Johnson, said: "This has not been a very successful implementation because of the increase in fly-tipping."

Labour members voted against a recommendation which stated that the implementation of the scheme had been a success. But they were outnumbered.

They also complained that the projected amount of revenue to be made from the scheme of £125,000 would not be met as just £2,750 had been collected in the first three months.

Despite the criticism, Liberal Democrat Cllr Mark Whittaker said: "I cannot make an assessment on the basis of the information we've got.

"There will always be fly- tipping - there was before the charges were introduced. And, as we're charging a fixed fee, people are waiting until they have three items instead of paying three times."

Fellow Lib Dem Tony Brett added: "This scheme has not been given a chance."