GREEN WASTE CHARGING PUT ON HOLD

“WE ARE LISTENING”

That was the message from Councillor Martin Goss who is the Cabinet Member with responsibility for waste, environment & transport during the Wednesday 8th July Colchester Cabinet Meeting.

Councillor Goss had expressed grave concerns that the proposal within a paper to consider a new green waste collection at a recommended cost of £50 per bin would impact on households at a time of severe financial hardship for many.

The paper, ‘Waste and Recycling New Strategic Priority’ was prepared in light of a Council budget shortfall of £3 million. The shortfall, as a result of the impact of COVID-19, has meant that Councillors of all parties are having to consider how to fill this significant gap and minimise the impact on residents.

On Tuesday the Council’s Scrutiny Panel made a proposal to defer this paper to a Task and Finish Group to fully investigate the proposed green waste collection service and wider use of wheelie bins. Tonight, the Cabinet unanimously supported this recommendation. No measures will be put in place until this group have delivered their recommendations as to its viability to Cabinet.

Speaking on Wednesday night Councillor Goss told Cabinet:

“We are listening generally. We cannot just say we do not like that. You need to come up with answers that you do like and will serve the budget issues.”

After the meeting Councillor Goss said:

“We are all disappointed at government failure to provide on its commitment to financially support local authorities and avoid additional charges, possible redundancies and cuts in services.

“I am delighted that there is an opportunity for councillors from all parties to now be able to properly scrutinise the green waste collection and use of wheelie bins. It is important that residents are heard so that priorities of services and cuts during these difficult times are responsive to their wishes.”

We can sigh at busy streets. But it is great to see positive news – Colchester recently described as a ‘Boom Town’. The Essex County Standard says the number of businesses, large or small, is up, there is a record number of business units in the borough (8,265 in 2017) and the average income has, for the first time, outstripped elsewhere in the east of England!

As Local Lib Dems we are here to help our community. That means everything from getting over flowing bins reported to fly tipping addressed, from clearing litter and dog fouling to getting the street wardens on patrol (and 13 fixed penalty notices for those who don’t seem to care), to seeing the General Hospital to press for better hospital parking and alternatives to traffic and congestion. Sometimes the results are quick and others slow – as with getting improvements and or work underway to improve the poor state of local roads and paths. We have helpfully acted as the ‘go between’ for residents, helping get police attention to crime, as on Rosewood, or speeding on Mill Rd/NAR and Bergholt Road. The credit is theirs. But we know we have helped. As also with developers, pressing them, privately and through officials, to get gaps filled, estates completed, lights fixed, problems solved. Not all of them, unfortunately, but real progress can be made and with the small things that matter, and a promise to keep going. It is just being good neighbours – to help where we can and lighten the load.

Best wishes

David King