Recycling across the district is set to be collected fortnightly instead of monthly with more items added to what can be recycled – after a Government windfall of more than £4.6 million.

As it stands Bradford Council recycles paper and card, and bottles and cans.

But a cash injection will mean the service can be expanded, along with improving collections, according to Councillor Andy Thornton, Bradford Council’s executive member responsible for the environment.

Last night Communities Secretary Eric Pickles announced £4,668,550 would be awarded to the district as part of a £250 million Weekly Collect Support Scheme fund.

Coun Thornton said: “This will really help enhance our recycling kerbside schemes as well as help weekly collections.

“We had no plans to change from weekly rubbish collections anyway but part of the arrangement with getting the money is the collections are maintained weekly. It means we can increase the frequency we collect recycling and include other things.

“I think one of the most fundamental things people expect their Council to do is collect rubbish and we want to continue to provide a really good service. This money will help.

“We are delighted we have got through the process and been awarded some money.”

The Government said it feared that without a cash injection weekly bin collections could disappear by 2015.

Former Bradford Council leader Mr Pickles said: “Every Englishman has a basic right to have their household rubbish taken away each and every week – it is the most visible council service people get.

“Over six million families will breathe a sigh of relief because we have put a stop to the fetid fortnightly rot and saved many weekly collections from extinction, all while increasing recycling rates by hundreds of thousands of tonnes to boot.”