Green-Lib Dem-Better Brum Independents coalition scraps weekly bin collections
The Green-Liberal Democrat-Better Birmingham Independent coalition, backed by a Reform Councillor at the recent AGM, has abandoned one of its clearest promises to Birmingham residents by pushing ahead with Labour’s plan to introduce fortnightly waste collections.
With power in their hands now those promises have been cast aside. Without taking a formal decision at cabinet, nor announcing the policy and not even telling Councillors in affected wards in advance, residents have been receiving letters informing them that their collection date is changing and that weekly residual waste collections are being scrapped.
This has now been confirmed in an email to Local Conservative Deputy Leader Cllr Alex Yip who challenged the Council over these letters.
This decision sends a worrying message to residents. The new administration promised something different from Labour, yet its first major decisions is simply to continue Labour’s unpopular policy of scrapping weekly bin collections.
Leader of the Conservative Group, Cllr Robert Alden (Con, Erdington), said:
“Residents were promised change. Instead, they are getting more of the same. The last 18 months have shown the mess that rapidly builds up across Birmingham when reliable weekly collections do not happen. But now the new Council administration have abandoned that position at the first opportunity.
Trust in Birmingham City Council has already been badly damaged by Labour’s failures. The new administration should have been rebuilding that trust and getting on with the job of cleaning up Birmingham. Instead the bin strike continues and weekly bin collections are being scrapped from July”.
Residents in the first area being affected, Sutton Coldfield, have now received at least 3 different letters telling them of changes to the service, adding to the confusing and disquiet. With Councillors not being warned in advance that the decision had been taken and that residents would be getting a letter.
Councillor Alex Yip (Con, Sutton Wylde Green) Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group said:
“Only the Birmingham Conservatives put forward a fully costed alternative budget that protected weekly household waste collections while tackling the council’s financial challenges.
Instead of standing up for residents, the Green, Liberal Democrats and Better Birmingham Independents have chosen to adopt Labour’s approach. It is clearer than ever only a Conservative led Council would actually be able to save weekly bin collections.
Labour broke Birmingham. And now the Green, Lib Dem, Better Brum alliance is determined to grind the remains of the city into dust. Residents were promised something different. Instead, the Greens, Liberal Democrats and Better Brum Independents have chosen to continue Labour’s agenda, proving that when it comes to the issues that matter, it’s a different badge but the same politics.”
Robert added, “Birmingham is a city with tens of thousands of terrace houses, flats, HMOs and exempt accommodation. As we have seen when rubbish has gone uncollected for weeks on end during the strike, families simply see rubbish piled up. It’s not acceptable, and the new administration should stop it by saving weekly bin collections and so help clean up the city. Instead they appear determined to leave Birmingham a mess by ploughing on with scrapping weekly collections.”
On taking control of the Council Councillor Robert Alden (Con, Erdington), Leader of the Birmingham Conservative Group, wrote to Birmingham City Council’s new Leader and Deputy Leader, urging them to take immediate action to save weekly bin collections and restore confidence in local services, changing course from the failures residents have experienced over recent years.
In his letter, Councillor Alden set out four priorities for cleaner streets which he believes should form the foundation of a fresh start for Birmingham:
• Protect weekly household bin collections.
• Secure a lawful and sustainable end to the waste dispute.
• Launch a city-wide clean-up operation and consider dedicated ward based clean up crews.
• Restore recycling collections as quickly as possible, while protecting weekly bin collections and carrying out an amensity to clear recycling bins that have become contaminanted during the course of the strike.
Local Conservatives continue to collect a petition demanding Weekly Bin collections are saved, you can sign at https://www.birminghamconservatives.org.uk/campaigns/keep-it-weekly-0
