North East Lincolnshire Council has started charging residents an increased annual fee for the collection of garden waste – before the higher charge has been approved!
At his Portfolio Holder meeting on 25 February, Labour Cabinet member Cllr Matthew Patrick decided to increase the annual fee from £35 to £36 and residents began receiving letters on 2 March advising them to pay the new higher charge for the forthcoming year. However, NELC councillors had until 6 March to challenge (call-in) the increase. Two Conservative councillors, Lia Nici and James Cairns, have instigated a call-in which will be discussed by NELC’s Communities Scrutiny Panel on 19 March. In the meantime, the Portfolio Holder’s decision is “frozen” and the increased charge is invalid.
“I’m trying to stop the proposed increase in the Garden Waste Kerbside Collection Service Charge from £35 to £36” said Cllr Nici. “This very controversial charge at its current level of £35 has already resulted in fewer households taking part in garden waste recycling and less recycling collected. An increase sends out the wrong message about recycling and acts as a further disincentive.”
“This is a tax on people who keep their gardens tidy” said Cllr Cairns.
“The Conservative Group has always objected to this charge in principle” said Conservative Group Leader Cllr Philip Jackson. “But to add insult to injury, Labour have now issued higher bills without proper approval. This is just another example of chaos caused by this incompetent Labour administration and long-suffering council tax payers will have to foot the bill to put things right. The local elections on May 2 are an opportunity to get rid of Labour, who clearly don’t know what they’re doing.”
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