Essex County Council Should Pass On Waste Savings

10.50.02pm GMT Sun 11th Feb 2007

Liberal Democrat Councillors Vanessa Pedder (Vice-Chair of Uttlesford's Environment Committee), Mark Gayler (Leader of the Council) and Alan Thawley (Chair of the Environment Committee) with the wheelie bins that have boosted recycling in Uttlesford.

Uttlesford's Liberal Democrats are calling on Essex County Council to return the savings that they have made as a result of the new three bin recycling system to Uttlesford District Council.

The increase in Uttlesford's recycling figures has resulted in Essex County Council saving more than £40,000 per month on the costs of sending waste to landfill. But last week's meeting of Uttlesford's Environment Committee heard that the County Council were not prepared to pass on any of the savings.

"As a result of the new system the recycling credits that Uttlesford Council receives have increased, but by nowhere near the level of savings that Essex County Council are making," said Cllr Alan Thawley, Lib Dem Chair of the Uttlesford's Environment Committee. "As a result Uttlesford residents are not receiving the full benefit that they should be from their efforts to recycle."

"The savings Essex County Council are making will be offset against their Council Tax increase, but will be spread across the whole of Essex, including those areas where the local district council has not achieved the same level of recycling."

"It's about time Essex County Council came up with some real money and showed that they want a genuine partnership, and not a one-sided agreement that only benefits them."