Rubbish charges trial is a flop

Rochdale residents will not face pay-as-you-throw bin charges after no councils wanted to take part in the controversial trial.

Local authorities had been asked to volunteer to take part in the scheme to start in April but no council came forward before yesterday’s deadline.

Environment Minister Jane Kennedy said: “The powers in the Climate Change Act enabling up to five voluntary pilot schemes were introduced at the request of local authorities and it is up to them whether they want to use them.

“No local authorities have expressed an interest in piloting a scheme at this time.

“It is absolutely right and laudable that local authorities are working hard to reduce the amount of waste thrown away and increase the amount recycled, and we have seen great progress over the last few years.”

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair announced plans to allow councils powers to levy charges on households that throw away the most waste.

But Gordon Brown watered down the scheme and said it would be piloted and possibly introduced after that.