Cllr Jerry Roodhouse confirms Lib Dems will not take part in 'secret' green bin services working group
Despite a Rugby Borough Council press release stating that a "cross party waste management services working group" will be looking at the issue of the green bin services being stopped from December until March next year, Cllr Jerry Roodhouse has confirmed in a letter to the local papers that the Liberal Democrats Group on Rugby Borough Council will not be participating because decisons have already been made behind closed doors.
Dear Editor,
Last week Rugby Borough Council issued a press release to the media concerning the potential charging of residents for green bins. In this release it states "cross party waste management services working group" this gives the clear impression that all political groups on Rugby Borough Council are signed up to this which I find deeply disappointing that this was sent out when it is not true.
The facts of this matter are clear the Conservative Cabinet with Cllr Parker leading the charge took the decision at its meeting 3rd October to push ahead with this process at that same meeting I made it clear that the Liberal Democrats would not be taking part in any proposed secret working group that meets behind closed doors and instead called for greater transparency and engagement with residents before imposing the 3 month suspension of the service. Our approach was not supported and we again tried to get the Leader Cllr Stokes to reconsider at full Council on 15th November, but once again the Conservatives voted our proposals down.
Rugby Borough Council collects your waste but Warwickshire County Council has to pay for the disposal. A Warwickshire Waste Partnership body was created some years ago. It sates, "The Partners will work together to develop and Implement the Warwickshire Waste Strategy, which formally serves as Wastes Management Strategy for the Partners". Rugby Council is a partner and signed up to this and the memorandum of understanding on paragraph 8 on consultation is clear that Rugby Council should have discussed this with the partnership before embarking on the suspension of service and potential chaging for green bin collections.
We now have a Conservative Borough Council at odds with a Conservative County Council. Cllr Parker states a saving of £25,000 whilst the County Council has stated that it could cost them £30,000. This is all public money. Liberal Democrats are not taking part in this secret working group because it seems to have already made its mind up to charge residents for green bin collections. All you will be consulted upon is what level and as Cllr Parker said in the press release "perhaps around £1.00 a week" on top of increasing Council Tax bills with fewer services.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Jerry Roodhouse
Leader of Rugby Liberal Democrats Group on Rugby Borough Council.