Hundreds more householders could receive seagull-proof communal bins.

Councillors will this week consider extending the big bin scheme to four more streets in central Brighton after positive feedback from a public consultation.

The containers, in which people can dump their rubbish at any time rather than wait for their weekly collection, are designed to keep seagulls and rats away from rotting food which used to be left in black bags on people's doorsteps.

The bins were installed in 24 streets in the Clifton Hill area of Brighton 18 months ago and initially sparked protests, with neighbours complaining about noise and the loss of parking spaces.

But since then householders from 37 streets across the city have asked to be included in the scheme.

A survey carried out by Brighton and Hove City Council last autumn showed more than 90 per cent of respondents said they found the containers easy to use and 89 per cent thought the streets looked cleaner since they were introduced.

At a meeting of the environment committee on Friday, councillors will decide whether to install communal bins into four more streets: Grand Parade, Morley Street, Circus Street and Richmond Terrace. The cost of expanding the scheme would be £7,560.

Malcolm Constable, chairman of the Phoenix Community Association, said residents of Richmond Terrace were looking forward to bidding farewell to bin bags.

The terrace, which would probably have three bins, is currently the only road in the Phoenix Estate still using bags.

Mr Constable said: "When there are black bags lying around they tend to get ripped apart and rubbish strewn around the estate. It also takes dustmen a lot longer.

"The communal system keeps the estate cleaner. People here would rather put up with the sight of the bins than rubbish on the streets."

The communal service is cheaper to run than a conventional weekly rubbish collection and has already saved the council tens of thousands of pounds, which has been re-invested in recycling schemes.

But union leaders are worried the continued expansion of the scheme will lead to job cuts.

Mark Turner, of the GMB, which represents a majority of the council's refuse workers, said: "We are concerned that a further roll-out of communal bins will affect our members' jobs and we will oppose further expansion of the scheme if it means job losses."

A council spokeswoman said: "It is obvious from the fact that we are currently recruiting that no jobs will be lost."