Call for long term commitment to residents on waste

Lib Dem Group Leader Councillor David Kendall has called on Tory controlled Brentwood Borough Council to give a long term commitment to residents that they will NOT consider introducing fortnightly residual waste collections, tagging bins or charging by weight collected for at least the next five years.

His call comes following a Borough review of waste and recycling that shows Brentwood making significant progress in hitting recycling targets through the orange bag and red box collection schemes.

Cllr Kendall's concerns have been sparked by the Governments decision to allow Council's the opportunity to introduce charging for waste collection and tagging bins to convince residents to reduce their waste and recycle and compost more.

Whilst Brentwood Borough Council has said that they do not intend to introduce fortnightly residual waste collection or any charging regimes and will maintain the current three stream kerbside collection for 2008/09, Cllr Kendall is looking for much longer term assurances to be given to local residents. Sadly, the Conservatives would not give a commitment beyond 2008/9's financial year.

He said "Local residents have repeatedly told us that they are totally against the fortnightly collection of black bag residual waste. They are now saying they and are also against the possible tagging of bins and introduction of charging by weight. Whilst we welcome the news that the Borough Council is not considering these measures in Brentwood during the next financial year we believe residents should be given this commitment over a much longer period, say five years to put their minds at ease".

"You only have to look across the border to neighbouring Tory controlled Basildon Council to see that they have now employed wardens to check waste and potentially penalise residents for not recycling. We certainly don't need or want that type of scheme here in Brentwood".