News from Sheffield Labour

Betts wades into green bin row: “Clegg’s in cloud cuckoo land”

Clive Betts MP very critical of Veolia’s proposals for kerbside green waste collections.

Clive Betts said: “Veolia’s proposed charges are too high and it is simply unacceptable to tell local households that they have just a week to decide whether ‘to take it or leave it’. £57 is a big sum for many families.”

Clive Betts called on Veolia to revisit the proposals for a £57 annual charge for collecting green wheelie bins and said that, in any event, households should have longer to reach a decision.

“It’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that Veolia is exploiting its contractual position to hike charges for collecting green waste. If necessary, the Competition Commission should be invited to assess whether Veolia is exploiting its monopoly position.

“I have no time for the Liberal Democrat comments on this issue. After all, it was the Liberal Democrats who signed this contract with Veolia.

Nick Clegg in cloud cuckoo land
“Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats are part of the coalition government which has chosen to cut local government expenditure harder than any other part of the public sector.

“And, when these cuts inevitably impact on refuse collection services, they have the gall to demand that Sheffield City Council retains services in a way that no Liberal Democrat controlled council is doing.

“Despite the Liberal Democrats’ desperate attempts to keep the truth coming out, I can reveal today that the vast majority of Liberal Democrat controlled councils have already implemented alternate week general refuse collections and not a single Liberal Democrat council is planning to take up the Conservative-led coalition’s bin fund to return to a weekly general refuse collection service.

“Nick Clegg’s own Liberal Democrat council leaders have all told him that he’s living in cloud cuckoo land.

“Eric Pickles’ bin fund fails to deliver a single council currently with an alternate week general refuse collection service to return to a weekly service.

Clive Betts concluded; “It also appears that no Conservative-controlled council with an alternate week collection – and that’s the vast majority – is planning a return to a weekly general refuse collection service.”

Other news from Sheffield Labour

• Angela Smith MP creates buzz about bee decline - 31 January 2013
• Commons votes for Polling Stations to remain open after 10pm - 29 January 2013
• Paul Blomfield MP challenges the Chancellor on his unfair cuts - 29 January 2013