Kingston Council’s leader has denied “idiotic” suggestions that halving the number of the borough’s bin collections had increased the risk of fires.

Brian Coleman, the chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), said he was fearful that councils across London would start fortnightly bin collections, which Kingston Council has been doing since September 2008.

He warned that a London-wide introduction of fortnightly bin collections would cause more fires and divert the attention of firefighters from life saving work.

He said on Monday: “Most outdoor fires are fires in rubbish and refuse. There is a real danger that if fortnightly bin collections were introduced it would increase the number of fires which will risk lives and cost the taxpayer dear.

“Rubbish, refuse and other materials left outside are often maliciously set alight and even now we still attend over 8,000 calls each year.

“The brigade wants to cut this number further but will be hampered by a short- sighted, short-term, quick fix solution that could increase the overall bill to the taxpayer.”

The LFEPA’s own figures appeared to contradict Mr Coleman’s comments after showing that fewer rubbish fires had been recorded in Kingston since fortnightly bin collections were introduced.

During the two years when bins were collected weekly, there were 223 rubbish fires (August 2008 to August 2010), compared with 239 rubbish fires recorded in the two years previously (August 2006 to August 2008).

Kingston’s leader and spokesman on waste collections, Councillor Derek Osbourne, slammed Mr Coleman’s comments as a “pathetic attempt at publicity”.

Councillor Osbourne said: “What an idiot. Has Brian Coleman had some sort of mental breakdown? This is just nonsense.

“My sense is that where fires take place in bins they are private ones, not public ones. You do also see it in parks and litter bins, but those are not affected by this.

“There is going to be more damage done to the people of Kingston if Brian Coleman does not sort out the fire fighters dispute.”