Conservatives in southern Oxfordshire are calling on local councils to ‘get a grip’ on the waste crisis facing residents of South Oxfordshire and Vale of the White Horse District Councils. Conservative councillors are writing to the chair of each council today demanding an Extraordinary Meeting of Council to address the growing problem with uncollected rubbish.
Garden waste collections - run by Biffa as part of a joint contract with both district councils - were suspended without notice at the start of August. SODC and VWHDC have so far failed to say when they will re-start and how the backlog of waste will be managed.
Conservative councillors have accused the Liberal Democrat and Green councillors in control at both councils of chaotic mismanagement and of failing to communicate adequately with residents. The National situation is known, it is how you deal with it by having a plan and clear communication and actions that have clearly failed.
Cllr Simon Howell, Leader of the Conservative Group at Vale of the White Horse District Council said:
“This is an appalling situation. Waste has been building up for well over a month - many residents in the Vale haven’t had their garden waste collected since the middle of July - yet everyone is still being charged for the service. The councils are accepting new paying customers but giving them no service at all. It’s disgraceful. On behalf of residents, we are calling this extraordinary meeting to get action, to implement a plan and treat residents fairly”
Cllr Jane Murphy, Leader of the Conservative Group at SODC said:
“It’s well past time for the councils to explain to residents how they’re going to solve this debacle. Garden waste is piling up in gardens and driveways. The council tells us we should take it to household waste centres - but it’s utterly impractical to expect people to load rotting rubbish into their cars. The Lib Dems and Greens in charge in South Oxfordshire have to get a grip of this.”
She continued:
“Under the Conservatives, residents in southern Oxfordshire had the best waste collection service in the south of England. Residents won’t forgive the Lib Dems and Greens for running it into the ground.”
ENDS
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For further comment please contact Simon Howell on 07825 578819, Jane Murphy on 07970 932054 or email Nathan Boyd on nathan@oxfordshireconservatives.com