Tories in a Spin Over Rubbish

6.48.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 21st Oct 2007

Printed in the Bucks Examiner on 18th October 2007

Dear Editor,

Chiltern Liberal Democrats welcome the news that one or two Conservatives have belatedly adopted our policy concerning weekly rubbish collections. It's a pity that they didn't say so before the elections in May, when the Liberal Democrats were the only party raising this issue.

Contrary to the reported remarks of Councillor Swayne, the Conservative Council policy of fortnightly rubbish collection is far from being simply a "trial run" in "Chesham Bois and Chalfont St Peter" to "see how it goes." Try telling that to the people of Seer Green. The reality is that the Conservative District Council's very expensive fortnightly collection scheme is now permanent in Chalfont St Peter, Chalfont St Giles, Seer Green and Jordans, and in June 2006 was extended to Amersham, Little Chalfont, Chesham Bois and parts of Chenies and Latimer.

Alastair Campbell would be proud of Councillor Swayne and ex Tory Councillor Keith Miles' spinning on this issue. But the reality is that the Conservative run Council remains publicly committed to extending the scheme across the whole district including Great Missenden. Today for example, the Chiltern Council website explains helpfully that the Conservative Council will "roll the scheme out to the whole District."

Liberal Democrats in Chiltern have been aware of the public concern for years, since the policy was introduced and we campaigned clearly and honestly on this issue in the May 2007 elections. We await with interest the results of the so-called review, which I fear may be more about re-establishing unity in the Chiltern Tory party than actually changing any of their expensive policies.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Meakin

Chairman

Chiltern Liberal Democrats Campaign Committee