Janet Finch-Saunders AM has issued a statement condemning the proposals by Conwy County Borough Council to introduce monthly bin collections across the whole county.
Janet said:
“I am urging all Councillors to vote against this preposterous idea.
“Councillors must stand up for the principles on which they were elected just six months ago.
“They must simply not betray their constituents and the confidence in which voters placed in them at the ballot box.
“Councillors have a duty and responsibility to stand by the manifesto commitments on which they were elected.
“Both Darren Millar AM and I have strongly opposed any such suggestions that bin collections should be moved to 4-weekly, and will continue to do so.
“Residents have faced year-on-year increased to their council tax bills, yet are now being threatened with severely reduced services. It is simply not acceptable.
“The amount the Council proposes to save through this measure is small fry compared to their overspending in other areas – the projected £58m cost for the new Colwyn Bay offices, for example.
“The use of agency staff to cover vacancies in the refuse collection service will have undoubtedly cost more through agency fees, as well as the cost of dealing with fly-tipping and littering.
“The Council officers’ report notes that ‘the most frequently cited issue [amongst residents] is running out of space for general rubbish’. We know that incidents of fly-tipping since the change to three-weekly collections and the four-weekly trial came in has increased in every quarter – by 107 incidents over the year.
“I urge all elected Conwy County Borough Councillors to oppose this proposal in the strongest terms, and to look constructively across the board to find efficiency savings elsewhere – not at the expense of council taxpayers or service provision.”
ENDS
Notes:
Conwy County Borough Council officers have submitted a report to the local authority’s Oversight and Scrutiny Committee – Economy & Place.
Members of the committee will meet on Monday 20th November to vote on the proposals.
Conwy County Borough Council report for Economy & Place Committee.
http://modgoveng.conwy.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=939&MId=5795