If something smells in your neighbourhood, who are you going to call?

From later this year, it will be Oxford City Council's rapid response waste busters.

To ease fears about a rise in rubbish-related public health problems since the switch to fortnightly refuse collection, the Town Hall is spending £100,000 on a new litter-busting team.

The job of the two-person team, who will be equipped with a specially adapted vehicle, will be to respond to refuse-related problems as and when they arise.

They will also be responsible for enforcement and education. The move is seen as a compromise to those who have called for a return to weekly pick-ups since the city's so-called recycling revolution started last November.

City councillor Jean Fooks, executive member for a cleaner city, said: "When there is a problem we will deal with it. Going back (to weekly collections) would be expensive and unwise, but we want to make sure problems don't arise.

"It's education and enforcement - if people go on ignoring, we will have to go in."

Ms Fooks said "she was not for turning" and returning to a weekly collection service, which would cost £750,000 a year. Instead the £100,000 was included in this year's budget for emergencies and contingencies.

She added: "The budget set by the previous administration was for new vehicles and extra staff to collect extra materials.

"We are now collecting more and taking recyclables to the nearest facility for onward recycling.

"We are providing a better service, not a worse one. A full weekly collection would cost £750,000 (a year) and lead to reduced recycling and more landfill, which is itself a cost to the council.

"The £100,000 will provide ongoing emergency collection, but cannot provide weekly collection - think about the need for extra vehicles and crew at short notice to provide such city-wide."

Osney Island resident Eric Murray, co-founder of Collect Refuse in Oxford Weekly (CROW), said: "Is this an admission the new scheme is not working?

"We need weekly collections reinstated to make sure our streets are clean and to protect public health."

Former Oxford Lord Mayor and Ferry Hinksey Road resident John Power added: "For the first time in 40 years I've had mice in my house.

"Give people the choice (of weekly collections) they would have them back tomorrow - but what they want is ignored."

The council says if food is properly wrapped and disposed of in sealed wheelie bins there is no risk of flies and maggots breeding. Ultimately, it is the council's aim to provide a food waste collection service.