COUNCILLORS have called on Winchester City Council to improve its recycling performance.

Winchester residents currently recycle around 36 per cent of waste and Lib Dem leader Kelsie Learney said the city should be doing more to reach the national target of 50 per cent.

The city council is signed up to Project Integra, a partnership of the 14 waste collection and disposal authorities in Hampshire, but Cllr Learney questioned its effectiveness.

Speaking at a full council meeting on July 17, she said: “I think saying we are doing well compared to other Hampshire areas raises questions about how well Project Integra is doing.

“Is the portfolio holder happy to continue to leave Winchester lagging behind and not introduce any improvements?”

But Cllr Jan Warwick, environment portfolio holder, defended Project Integra and said it planned to launch specific recycling campaigns.

She said: “Project Integra plans to run targeted campaigns for waste and electrical materials, batteries, and textiles going to landfills. We need to reinvigorate recycling for Hampshire with an information project for schools.

“We reckon there’s about 10 per cent recyclable material being put in residential rubbish and that’s an education thing.

“The gold standard is Eastleigh (Borough Council), which does have doorstep glass recycling, and they had a seven per cent fall in recycling rates last year.”

Despite not meeting the national target, the city council had the fourth best recycling performance in Hampshire last year.