Recycling Scheme Dumped as Tories Struggle with Debt

5.56.56pm GMT Thu 4th Feb 2010

East Cambridgeshire's kerbside plastic bottle recycling scheme has become the latest victim of Tory cuts.

The scheme, launched two years ago at a projected cost of £88,000 per year, is being dumped by the Conservatives after actually costing £129,000 per year.

The decision means that the district's recycling rate - which is the worst in the county at just 39 per cent, 11 per cent below all other districts - will fall even further.

"The decision to launch this scheme was doomed to failure from the beginning," said Councillor Ian Allen, Lib Dem environment spokesman. "The Tories had the opportunity to introduce a waste contract that would give similar results to neighbouring districts, but they chose a contract based on minimal standards and price.

"If the opportunity had been taken to introduce an organic collection bin instead of bags the collection weights would have been far higher and people could have recycled more. These bins could have been paid for from Section 106 money.

"Our recycling rates are embarrassing. The Tories cannot get this right and the only reason we are not facing landfill penalties is because our figures are being bolstered by other authorities across the county."

Cllr Allen said that instead of securing projects that would bring real benefits to the people of East Cambridgeshire, the Tories were intent on pressing ahead with schemes which they cannot afford.

"They are undermining Ely Market and other community projects while trying to move ahead with the country park even though there is no money to implement it in the foreseeable future," he added.