A REDDITCH councillor says the council is failing to reach targets for kerbside recycling and ratepayers are getting a second-rate service.

Conservative councillor Kieth Boyd-Carpenter said the council's environmental service plan last year, stated that it was committed to delivering kerbside recycling to 75 per cent of the borough by March 2005 and 93 per cent by March 2006.

But he said figures revealed only 70 per cent of houses currently had the collection and the target for 2006 had now been reduced to 75 per cent.

Mr Boyd-Carpenter said: "There's no indication of when the rest of the town will receive this service.

"Many of those who don't receive it live in hilly parts of town, are often elderly and find it hard to help in the recycling effort as they have to drive to collection points.

"When will we see the same service for all ratepayers, regardless of where they live?"

Council leader David Cartwright said: "We agree it's important we step up our efforts to get the kerbside recycling service to as many areas as possible."