Conservatives statement on R4U bins fiasco
Residents across Uttlesford have not had their bins collected due to a significant operational failing at Uttlesford District Council (UDC).
Uttlesford Conservatives have voiced residents’ despair at how such negligence has occurred, which has significantly impacted the only district council service that every single resident regularly uses.
Cllr Susan Barker, Conservative Group Leader said: ‘Following the sudden suspension of bin collection services across the district, thousands of residents have been left with overflowing bins at the kerbside. This is wholly unacceptable. UDC took too long to acknowledge the error and provide cover”.
Saffron Walden constituency MP Kemi Badenoch wrote to the Leader of the Council saying “it is very concerning that under R4U’s leadership the council continues to let down local residents, unable to deliver the fundamental services their taxes pay for.”
Cllr Ray Gooding commented, “R4U are taking this District into a “Winter of Discontent” with intervention from Government in the Planning Process, and questioning their progress with the Local Plan, and now their abject failure to provide an essential service. Through all this there is nothing but silence from their Leader and Cabinet Member.
“Meanwhile, Conservatives at Essex County Council (who are not responsible for collecting waste) rally around trying to mitigate the impact of this failure”.
Cllr John Moran commented “it sounds like bin collections will resume soon with the use of outside agencies, but on top of earlier cancellations of collections the situation is severe. This will also add cost to taxpayers, who expect better.”
He added, “it is also likely that in the hurry to play ‘catch-up’ recycling and general waste will be combined and end up in landfill. This not only hits R4U’s crumbling environmental credentials, but also costs the Essex taxpayer more money”.
The Council leadership must be accountable for this error, and the buck stops with the CEO (Peter Holt), the Leader (Cllr Petrina Lees) and the Lead Cabinet Member (Cllr Neil Reeve).
