Friday, September 30, 2011

Weekly bin collections

In June the Conservatives stated they'd bring back the weekly rubbish collection services. After asking the councils 'Pretty please' they got short shrift so they've decided to bribe them instead.

The councils view is perfectly logical - running a fortnightly or alternate collection saves money. Isn't that the message that the government's been sending out at a constant rate - austerity and cuts? They're essentially being told off for doing what the government wants them to do.

Thus the only option left for the government (beyond making it law) is to bribe them. With that in mind a £250,000,000 fund has "been found" (down the back of the sofa?) to help councils restart or continue a weekly collection. There are some caveats though - councils need to sign up to it for five years, and

demonstrate potential environmental benefits, such as increased recycling or reduced fly-tipping and litter
Which, in theory, they should be working towards anyway.

So why is this happening anyway? If there was an actual need for a weekly service then isn't that what the council's should be providing for anyway. If there isn't then this is money for unrequired services which is what both the government and councils are expected to be cutting.

Thus the only reason this exists is because the Conservatives announced they'd be doing it and got heckled when it didn't happen. It's quite pathetic really.

2 comments:

Tav said...

If you search through council agendum, you will probably find some interesting points raised by the local Conservative administration against weekly bin collections.

FlipC said...

Dissension in the ranks?
And the Conservative leader of Wyre Forest District Council, John Campion told the BBC he would rather spend the money on other things.

"Yes, we can look at frequency but it is on the 'nice to have' list rather than the 'must have' list which is now about jobs and protecting the economy and getting the district working again."

Now what did Tracey say back in 2008 - “Introducing fortnightly collections in 2003 was the single most unpopular decision made by the council in recent years.[...]She said the council was “actively looking at affordable ways” to reintroduce weekly collections.