Bin collections in Liverpool could be stretched to three-week intervals.
The suggestion from senior Labour councillor Steve Mumby would see household waste in the city picked up at double its current fortnightly rate.
Cllr Mumby, who oversaw bin collections as head of Neighbourhoods, said it would be ‘criminal not to’ consider three and even four weekly collections.
But the remark, made in a local councillors’ meeting on waste management, has condemned by the Liberal Democrats as ‘ludicrous’ and ‘out of touch’.
Carl Cashman, leader of the local opposition, has vowed they will oppose any move to a three week collection and hit back at Cllr Mumby’s suggestion.
He said: “What’s really ‘criminal’ is a Labour councillor who’s voted for council tax rises again and again, turning around and trying to cut a core council service.
“Three week bin collections would mean rubbish left for rats and other pests and immense strain on households in the city.
“We already have an issue with rubbish, littering and fly-tipping. How much worse will it be with people waiting an extra week for their bins to be collected?
“If Labour introduced three week bin collections, they would put us on the fast track to ending up like Birmingham. Labour could risk our streets becoming a public tip.
“This is just another example of a Labour council that doesn’t listen to residents and their concerns.”