Embattled city councillor Jean Fooks has "no regrets" about Oxford's recycling revolution - and says she'll serve until at least 2014.

Mrs Fooks, 67, has been the subject of stinging personal abuse and criticism over the way the Town Hall implemented new waste collection arrangements across Oxford.

As executive member for a cleaner city, with ultimate responsibility for the roll-out of wheelie bins and the switch to fortnightly waste collections, she has faced calls to resign.

But last night Mrs Fooks came out fighting and said she would never cave in to her detractors - and is preparing for beyond 2010 when she is up for election in her Summertown seat.

And, health permitting, she said she would stand and continue to lead the fight to recycle.

She said: "I am doing my best and will carry on. I would like to be given the chance to serve Oxford - this is my city and I am very proud of it.

"If we could make it look better, that would be good. I enjoy it most of the time, it's good to be able to make a difference.

"I can't say I have been totally unaffected, that would be untrue, but the criticism is the exception rather than the rule - although some people are excessively personal about it and that's not helpful or appropriate.

"Change is always difficult, but I hope things will work out."

Although Oxford's once-paltry recycling rate has now jumped to above 30 per cent, some people want an instant return to weekly doorstep waste collections.

Earlier this year, Mrs Fooks echoed Margaret Thatcher when she said she "was not for turning" on the issue of fortnightly collections, despite a pressure group being set up in the city campaigning for exactly that.

Some visitors to www.oxfordmail.net have called for Mrs Fooks to resign.

One correspondent called Andy said: "People are not against recycling but just the way she is forcing it upon people like a dictator. The sooner she goes the better."

Another, Maureen, from USA, added, added: "I'm glad I don't live in Oxford any more, we get garbage picked up twice a week."

Last week the first £100 fines were issued to seven people who had piled waste next to their wheelie bins or who had failed to collect their bin after it had been emptied in Jericho.

Jane, another online correspondent, said: "Oxford was the city of dreaming spires - now the city of steaming piles."