Selby District Council's main contracting company has been fined and warned to "get its act together" or risk losing its street cleaning contract.

District council chiefs revealed they had rapped Onyx over the knuckles after it chalked up 25 "defaults" in only 18 days this month.

"This means that 25 roads which were part of the agreed target were not swept. It's totally unacceptable," said the council's Labour group leader Dean Howson.

He said Onyx had been fined £625 for the "defaults".

Coun Howson added: "There has been a gradual decline in street cleansing and Onyx is now performing worse than the former direct service organisation, Selby Contract Services.

"They tell us that vehicle breakdowns are the main factor so they need to get their act together with maintenance.

"Onyx has now been told they risk the contract being called in by the council, which could then hire someone else or put it out to tender again."

Onyx was awarded the eight-year £11 million contract for refuse collection, street cleaning and litter clearance in October 1999.

The move led to some angry workers at Selby Contract Services - the council's flagship business arm - accusing councillors of selling them down the river.

Coun Howson said: "What annoys me is that Selby district residents have had a 4.9 per cent council tax increase this year, and are getting a worse street cleansing service than last year.

"They are paying more for less and we have to rectify that quickly."

The council's head of environmental services, Nigel Currey, confirmed he had written to Onyx bosses to complain the street cleaning performance was not up to standard.

Onyx managing director Tom Spaul said the defaults were due to vehicle maintenance problems caused by the flooding of their workshops and "teething problems with our scheduling."

Mr Spaul told the Evening Press: "I'm confident that the road sweeping service will soon parallel the high standard of our litter picking service.

"A brand new road sweeper will be delivered this week and we have two extra vehicles on hire to help us catch up.

"Our road sweeping schedules are also being reviewed."

Updated: 15:23 Wednesday, May 30, 2001