OPPOSITION councillors have launched a challenge against the move to weekly bin collections in Blackburn and Darwen.

Critics of the weekly rounds have 'called in' a decision by the borough council's ruling coalition to reintroduce the collections, starting this September.

Councillors have demanded to know where the extra £700,000 plus set-up and running costs, and £900,00 capital costs, to purchase new "half-size"140-litre burgundy bins, will be found in existing budgets.

The call-in will be considered by a meeting of the council's policy and review committee next Tuesday at Blackburn Town Hall.

The review committee can make recommendations about changes to the scheme but the coalition is unlikely to reverse a decision on one its flagship policies.

Labour's Coun Malcolm Doherty, who is behind the challenge, said:"Where are they going to find the money to finance this?"

And the environmental impact of the switch back to weekly bin rounds is also being attacked by Labour members.

Coun Doherty added: "We want to know what it is going to cost in terms of recycling because the more we send to landfill, the more it is going to cost the council in landfill taxes.

"That money has to be found somewhere and it is going to be council tax payers who will have to find the money."

The call-in request has also been signed by Couns Jim Smith, Dave Harling, Maureen Bateson, Dave Smith, Damian Talbot, Mohammed Khan and Andy Kay, Tony Humphrys and Naushad Surve.

The coalition has said it intends to borrow the money required to buy the new wheelie bins - and said that the additional running costs will be met within existing budgets.

Coun Salim Lorgat, executive member for housing and regeneration, said: "We are making an investment in waste and recycling which will have long-term benefits."

An extra three rounds will need to be established to meet the demands of weekly collections. The first phase of the project, covering 17,000 homes, begins in September.

Talks will need to take place with the borough's existing recycling partners, Greenstar at Darwen, before the implications for that contract are known.

Collections will take place fortnightly for recyclable goods, using the existing 240-litre grey rubbish bins.

An extra 6,000 brown bins are being acquired for garden waste to be recycled at larger properties with gardens.