Tory Shambles on Rubbish Collection - Letter Published in the Bucks Examiner 22nd May 2008

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st May 2008

Dear editor

Local Conservative councillors for Prestwood and Heath End proclaim that fortnightly rubbish collection won't "fly." (letters 15 May). But on the very same letters page their own Conservative party colleague, the portfolio holder for environmental management on Chiltern District Council confirms that "the new waste collection scheme" will start in 2011. We warned voters during last year's District Council election that this policy was coming should the Conservatives be re-elected. Local Conservative candidates remained silent on this issue in their campaign literature in 2007 despite knowing that this was official Conservative policy.

It is typical of local Conservative councillors in this area to pretend that the unpopular policies adopted by the ruling Conservative party on Chiltern District Council have nothing to do with them. Not for the first time, they give the impression that they are just "apolitical" servants of local voters trying their best to fight "Chiltern District Council." But on this occasion, they have been found out. Have they forgotten that they are part of the majority ruling party on the Council and that they run it? The fact that local Conservative councillors have zero influence over their own Cabinet member and party colleague on this issue really says it all.

If this was an episode of the Apprentice, Sir Alan would quite rightly be calling it "a total shambles." Don't local voters deserve better than this?

Yours Sincerely

Seb Berry

Chairman Great Missenden, Prestwood and Heath End Liberal Democrats