THE waste management service provided by West Wiltshire District Council has been criticised in an independent report.

The Audit Commission released its report this week after two inspection visits to the council one this summer and one late last year.

Peter Wylie, regional director of the Southern Region Best Value Inspection Service, said: "Since our first inspection there have been improvements, such as the replacement of the community skip service with a mobile recycling scheme and the new arrangement to improve recycling rates.

"Unfortunately disruption to the waste collection service has worsened leaving local people with missed collections and the council open to complaints."

Civic leaders have hit back at the report.

Jeffrey Ligo, chief executive of the council, has accused the inspection team of ignoring key facts and failing to properly acknowledge improvements in how the service is delivered. He described the report as "just plain wrong".

Bob Brice, leader of the council, said: "This report is out of date and littered with mistakes, and it is not only in West Wiltshire that the Inspectorate has little credibility.

"Local government as a whole has been ill served by this over-bureaucratic, insensitive and unhelpful group of inexperienced people.

"The Government has recognised this and is actively making changes to the system."

The report highlighted disruption to refuse collection a problem that has dogged the council for months, but Mr Ligo insists these difficulties are in the past.

"It is ironic that this report should be published just a few days after us finalising our refuse collection contract with a new operator.

"This contract will ensure the people of west Wiltshire receive a high quality service, as it includes obligations to improve recycling and tackle fly-tipping."

Many of the problems with household rubbish collection were caused by collection lorries breaking down.

The council brought in independent transport company, Municipal Hire Services of Bristol, to oversee maintenance in August.

In February the collection service will be taken over by contractor, Cleanaway Ltd.

Mr Ligo said: "The key recommendation in the report is for us to urgently identify the reasons for disruption in household waste collection.

"Over the last three months, we have experienced hardly any disruption.

"This and other criticisms are covered by the new contract with Cleanaway, so it is hard to see what else can be done."