HEARTS and minds are not being won in Oxford's war on waste, according to new figures.

Customer satisfaction with rubbish collections has slumped dramatically, putting the council among the worst authorities in the country.

The news comes just days after recycling rates in the city reached a record high of 39 per cent.

The survey, conducted by pollsters Mori, revealed that 70 per cent of residents were satisfied with the collection service - a 12 per cent drop compared with 2003/04.

The results are required by the Government on a three-yearly basis and put the council in the 'worst' quarter of authorities nationally.

Councillors and recycling officers have blamed the slump on the timing of the survey - it coincided with the introduction of the alternate weekly collection service - and are considering repeating the exercise later this year to prove doubters wrong.

Jean Fooks, the council's executive member for a cleaner city, said: "It might be to do with the fact it was measured when we were changing the collection service."

Mrs Fooks said some residents were not satisfied with the service, but many were happy.

She added: "We don't ask people what the reasons are - that is the problem."

But she believed public satisfaction levels had risen since the survey was conducted and would be further influenced by the success of the scheme.

Mrs Fooks added: "We would hope we would get them more satisfied. We need to find out what the issue is."

But Annie Skinner, of the campaign group, Collect Rubbish in Oxford Weekly (Crow), said the slump in satisfaction reflected the views she was hearing from residents.

She said many people wanted their bins emptied weekly.

Ms Skinner said: "I think it will be an ongoing issue."