A row over the success of a new rubbish collection system which cost more than £300,000 to set up flared last night.

Coun Bob Smytherman said the waste and recycling service in Worthing was working well.

But his claim sparked criticism from Tory opponents, who said many people did not share his enthusiasm.

The new system, which involved householders putting their rubbish outside the front of their homes rather than the back, was introduced on June 23.

In the first few days, the council received thousands of calls from residents who either opposed the new rules or did not understand them.

But the Lib Dems said when the figures were examined only a small percentage had rung in to complain.

Coun Smytherman, Lib Dem leader of economic development, said: "Compared to Brighton and Hove, which has all sorts of problems at the moment, we are doing really well. On the whole, Worthing is a very clean town."

He was backed by Coun Geraldine Lissenburg, who said: "The cleanliness of the town is improving."

But Conservative councillor Tom Wye told a meeting of the executive that many people were not happy about having to put their rubbish outside at 6.30am, especially those living in terraced houses who had to carry bins through their homes to the front gate.

Paul Kempsall, head of contract services, said 15 per cent of refuse was now being collected for recycling, a much higher figure than before the changes were introduced.

The council was expected to have finished delivering 2,737 grey recycling boxes to residents who had requested them by the end of the week.

That would leave between 1,500 and 2,000 in stock to meet future demand.

Mr Kempsall said the council was getting round to see people who had requested exemption from taking their bin to the front of their home but progress was slow.

Tory councillor Reg Green spoke of an elderly couple, one blind and the other partially sighted, who had put their rubbish out but in the wrong place and it hadn't been collected for several weeks.

Coun Sheila Player, leader of the executive, said he was "bang out of order" for raising a specific case at the meeting.

The overall cost of advertising the changes was £28,750, plus £20,000 for the purchase of additional recycling boxes, £175,000 on two new collection vehicles, and an estimated £87,750 to cover the crews' wages.