COLLECTING household rubbish in north Wiltshire is costing too much a new report has revealed.

The Audit Commission found the amount of rubbish being collected was too high with not enough people recycling waste.

The inspection team rated North Wiltshire District Council's waste management service as just one star, its lowest ranking.

The independent inspection said the £1.9m cost of running the service had to be brought down, and recycling needed to increase.

Commission inspector, Jane Wreford, said: "The service was given a one star rating because, while the residents are very satisfied with the refuse collection service provided to them, the cost of running it is comparatively high.

"The overall weight of waste collected is very high and the recycling rate is low."

The service was reviewed in November 2001 when the commission judged that the prospects of it improving were poor.

It was reviewed again in April this year, and given a much more positive verdict.

The commission found the council had made significant changes and that there were now excellent prospects for improvement, but that major changes were needed.

Those included:

providing residents with rubbish containers;

cutting the number of missed bins;

increasing the amount of waste recycled;

being more cost effective.

The commission said cutting the amount of rubbish going to landfill, and increasing composting and recycling were key areas for attention.