Public deceived over bin plans, says MEP

Household Waste Bin and Recycling Bins

The scrapping of plans for weekly bin collections was inevitable and it is outrageous that the public has been deceived, said local MEP Paul Nuttall.

“It is also totally wrong that there has been a £250million investment in a failed scheme to encourage town halls to reverse the trend towards fortnightly collections.

“This was a complete waste of our money with not one council restoring weekly bin emptying and some actually scrapping them in favour of fortnightly collections.

“The government is now saying that the scheme is to be dropped which flies in the face of Tory promises while in opposition to restore ‘the fundamental right’ of families to have their bins emptied very seven days.

“But what they never actually admit is that behind the change to alternative week collections lie two EU directives, said Mr Nuttall, UKIP deputy leader.

“The 1999 Landfill Directive - supported by the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats - and the Waste Framework Directive created ridiculous and impossible recycling targets.

“Not only are householders hit in the pocket with council tax paying for bin collections but also lumbered with this £250million doomed project.

“Decisions affecting people in the North West should be made that are in their best interests and not because our hands are tied by Brussels rules and regulations,” he said.

It is understood funding for the scheme will be axed in the autumn spending review because the Department for Communities and Local Government is facing budget cuts of up to 40 per cent.

“I have been campaigning since 2009 for weekly bin collections and this is something that UKIP will continue to fight for,” he added.