COUNCIL chiefs have been accused of "lacking ambition" over recycling targets - with councillors saying Worcestershire should do better.

New figures show how the amount of household waste recycled across Worcestershire dropped last year, coming in at 39 per cent, down nearly two per cent down on 2012.

The percentage has also missed the county council's own target of 43 per cent, and comes after years of steady increases in the amount of household rubbish being re-used.

Labour Councillor Paul Denham went on a visit to South Oxfordshire District Council last week as part of a fact-finding mission on recycling rates.

South Oxfordshire boasts one of the UK's best performance for recycling domestic waste, a staggering 65 per cent.

Cllr Denham, speaking during a full council meeting, said: "I see that we've missed our recycling targets again.

"I visited South Oxfordshire with three other councillors where the recycling rate is 65 per cent.

"Why is it that our recycling levels are so lacking in ambition when it comes to setting targets?"

The council's Conservative leadership has defended the performance by saying it is determined not to "waste" taxpayers' money on trying to boost it.

Councillor Anthony Blagg, cabinet member for the environment, said: "Recycling is one of those areas where statistics can change a lot depending on where you direct yourself.

"I could increase it very easily by giving the district councils £10 million to collect 'green waste' (garden rubbish), some other councils have done that, but I won't because I think it's a waste of money.

"So you've got to compare like with like, and we've set ourselves a target of recycling 50 per cent of household waste by 2020.

"Rest assured we'll do everything we can to up recycling rates."

Recycling rates across Worcestershire were as low as 28 per cent a decade ago, but have increased steadily since the trend to collect bins separately.

District councils are responsible for own waste collection systems, although in recent weeks talks have started about the possibility of merging it into one county-wide service.

But some kind of a deal appears very unlikely, according to those involved in the talks.