Tories defend grey bin decision (From Messenger Newspapers)

Tories defend grey bin decision

12:16pm Thursday 28th February 2013 in News By Rick Bowen

Trafford's ruling Conservative group has defended its decision to bin weekly general refuse collections

TRAFFORD’S ruling Conservative group has defended its decision to bin weekly general refuse collections.

It claims that to maintain the service as it is would mean the borough’s council tax payers finding an extra £5m over the next years.

The Tories decided to end weekly bin collections even though a £6.4m government grant was available to help it continue.

Under the plans food and garden waste will be collected on a weekly basis and the ruling Tories say this will also boost the recycling rate in Trafford.

Cllr Steve Adshead, Labour's environmental services spokesman, said while his party supported the introduction of a waste food collection service, the decision was "a missed opportunity" to continue with weekly general refuse collections.

Executive councillor Jonathan Coupe said: “Labour in Trafford have conviniently forgotten that the government grant does not cover the cost of a weekly residual bin collection.

Our residents would have to pay an additional £5m over five years. This is equivalent to a one year rise in council tax of 5.5%.”

Cllr Coupe accused Councillor Steve Adshead, Labour’s environmental spokesman, of “scaremongering” by opposing the change.

It will see food and garden waste collected on a weekly basis in a bid to boost the borough’s recycling rate.

Cllr Coupe added: “I will be reminding Labour’s scaremongering Cllr Adshead that he would happily saddle council tax payers with £5m of costs for no benefit whatsoever.”

The council’s decision to introduce fortnightly general refuse collections has provoked a heated response on Messenger’s website.

dipperdapper said: “All this will lead to is more bins stolen, a huge build up of rubbish in out back yard or in the entry which will bring with it more rodents and foxes.

There will be bad smells in some entrys and people will resort to putting there rubbish in the grass bin where they say food should go.”

Bob Smith said: “A fortnightly grey collection will mean I have to go to the local dump a couple of times a week - especially in the summer months. So essentially I am doing my own refuse collection which I am already paying for.”