Local Conservatives to Deliver on Green Bins
When Conservative Budget plans were first put together they involved implementing the manifesto pledge to begin the process of phasing out the green bin tax within them. However, following the unprecedentedly steep cuts to the Council’s Revenue Support Grant, it was felt that the policy could no longer be delivered in a responsible way.
However, Conservative councillors lobbied local MPs Luke Hall, Chris Skidmore and Jack Lopresti who took these concerns up with ministers. Following these conversations Conservatives are delighted to be able to announce that they have been able to secure more than £3.6m in additional funding over the next 2 years. This has enabled the Conservative administration to push ahead with plans for the green bin charge and will now be slashing £6 off the price of the charge for anyone taking out the service from 1st April 2016 as previously planned.
Speaking of the improved financial settlement Council Leader Matthew Riddle commented: “We were very disappointed with initial cuts to our Revenue Support Grant. However, I am grateful to Luke Hall, Chris Skidmore and Jack Lopresti for making a strong case to the Government for us and I am also grateful to Secretary of State Greg Clark for recognising our concerns and putting the funding in place to make sure we can continue to provide top notch frontline services, look after our most vulnerable, knock £6 off the green bin charge and still balance our books responsibly.”