"Concern over bank holiday waste collection delays" - Longton

2.51.09pm GMT Tue 18th Mar 2008

Veolia officially took over waste collection services in West Berkshire from Biffa on 17 March under West Berkshire Council's new Integrated Waste Management Contract. Liberal Democrat members of the Council continue to support the new contract in principle, because it will lead to a substantial increase in recycling and reduction in waste sent to landfill.

However, the Lib Dems are concerned that in practice the contract may fall short of what is required to provide the level of service that the people of West Berkshire deserve.

"We have sought and received assurance on a number of points in recent weeks", explained Dr Royce Longton, Lib Dem Environment Spokesman. "These included a commitment to eliminating long delays in collections scheduled for bank holidays, with bank holiday collections to be made the day after they are due. Now we find an advertisement in the local press stating that general rubbish due to be removed from peoples homes on Good Friday and Easter Monday will not be collected until one week later, and that recyclables due for collection on those days will be collected four weeks later. And I understand that the same arrangement will apply for the May Bank Holiday.

This is yet another example of mismanagement by the present Conservative Administration. I strongly urge them to stick to their promise about bank holiday collections from August onwards, and to pay attention to detail in other aspects of the management of this new contract so that it can be introduced with minimum inconvenience to the council tax payer."