Shropshire Council's garden waste plans labelled a 'farce' after sticker shortage

A shortage of stickers - for those who have paid to stick on their green bins to show they've paid their £56 to have it emptied - has forced Shropshire Council to empty all bins, regardless of payment.

Copthorne Councillor Rob Wilson - Liberal Democrat Shadow Portfolio Holder for Transport, Climate and Environment - has expressed his outrage at the new subscription service and called for a delay in the scheme.

The councillor says the delivery of stickers in quantity appears not to have been planned for. Yesterday (October 1) saw the start of the council's new £56-a-year garden waste collection service, however Shropshire Council revealed last week that a shortage of stickers - that are sent to residents to put on their bins to show they have signed up - means non-subscribers could have had their garden waste emptied if they put their bins out.

Despite a petition against the service raising more than 1,800 signatures and forcing the council to debate the move, the local authority says more than 49,000 people have signed up to the scheme that will raise up to £4million.

Copthorne Councillor and Liberal Democrat, Rob Wilson is displeased with the rollout of the new subscription-based service, saying the flat rate charge discriminates against those on low incomes and benefits.

He said: "Shropshire's Conservative administration insists that demand for their garden waste tax is 'extremely high' and this explains the delay in delivering permit stickers. The current take-up is far below what they have budgeted for. Both things can't be true, it's a farce.

"They have said that the charge will bring in £4m, but so far are a long way short of that. It's clear that this policy has been rushed, and brought forward in a desperate act to help balance the books. The budget is so stretched and in danger of not making the savings needed.

"There are countless issues. The flat rate charge, the payments using the parking permit system, no monthly charge option, postcodes not being picked up on the system. I raised all of these at Full Council, but no explanations were given.

"The council needs to delay the non-collection of garden waste until these issues are addressed."