More bin charges - but don't tell anyone...
26 Apr 2007 - JG
This week's Picking Losers stories seem to be have been dominated by the rubbish collections and, less surprisingly, the NHS. Today is no different. I'll start with rubbish collections...
As if to add to the cannon fodder David Miliband is giving the electorate over this issue, it is expected that his climate change bill in July will include giving councils new powers to levy charges on non-recyclable rubbish. So bang goes my theory that we should cut the council tax for fewer collections - we are actually going to be charged more! Apparently it's to increase recycling and decrease the amount of land fill waste (though I'm sure it will be a nice little earner down the town hall too). What does Miliband think I can do about this - stop eating as much food? Stop buying goods? If Sainbury or Tesco want wrap my cheese and ham sandwiches in a plastic reconstruction of Fort Knox, go and have a word with them about it. I will still be eating - the only difference is I'll not only be paying to buy the food, I'll be paying to get rid of it as well.
A cynic might suggest that this will just increase fly tipping. So might someone with half a brain. But just to restore some sanity to the debate and reassure you not all councillors are complete lunatics, Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool City Council said “-This would not be a good idea. People already pay for their waste collection through council tax. This is like using a hammer to crack a nut. I am surprised by this proposal and Liverpool City Council will definitely not be introducing anything like this-.” He is of course facing re-election next week, which leads me on to the next astonishing story. The Telegraph is reporting that town halls have been instructed by Whitehall to hush up plans to introduce fortnightly bin collections ahead of local elections! So it's coming straight from the top and they know it's not popular with the voters but want to introduce through the back door anyway - typical New Labour. Eric Pickles, the shadow local government minister, said: "-I am gravely concerned that councils are being bullied by the Government and its quango bully boys into axing weekly rubbish collections, irrespective of public opinion-."