Petition to asks for a re-think on green bins suspension

The Labour group on the council has written to the local authority’s leader Michael Stokes urging him to reconsider and county and borough councillor Maggie O’Rourke told the Advertiser on Tuesday that they intend to launch an online petition next week.

The Conservative-run council announced in October that Rugby’s green bin service would be suspended for three months from the week beginning December 5.

And residents could have to pay an extra £1 a week to get it back, the council revealed earlier this month.

The council’s executive committee argues that few households use the service over the winter yet its bin crews still have to drive down every street. It says the measure could save £25,000.

Calling on the leader to reverse the decision, Cllr O’Rourke said: “Suspending bin collections in this way is outrageous and it’s a slippery slope to be on.”

Cllr Claire Edwards, leader of the council’s Labour group, added: “You can’t just make unilateral decisions and expect not to be challenged on them, especially as is the case with green bin collections, you’re making a terrible and misinformed decision.”

A spokesman for Rugby Borough Council said: “The service will be suspended in order to make sure that all households have a black bin collection in the weeks after Christmas and to allow us to reschedule our rounds to improve operational efficiency.

“All residents are being notified of the changes by a leaflet that includes a survey on the possibility of charging for garden waste collection from next year.

“The cross-party waste management services working party, which includes representatives with three political affiliations, is considering this issue in some detail and will shortly hear evidence from partners.”