PRESS RELEASE
Issued by:
Councillor Gill Gardiner
Cabinet Member for Environment
Date of Issue: April 15th 2008
Contact number: 0151 625 2738

Councillor warns on Government's ‘broken promises'

A Wirral Liberal Democrat Councillor said today that broken Government promises could jeopardise Wirral's recycling rates and increase council tax bills.

Gill Gardiner, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Greasby Frankby Irby ward, and Cabinet Member for Environment said,

“The Government promised that increases in Landfill Tax would be returned to local authorities to help with investment in recycling facilities in order to divert more waste away from landfill, and up to now this has happened.

“But this year Landfill Tax has increased dramatically and sending rubbish to landfill could see nearly £70 per household going to Whitehall  over the next three years. Council Tax payers locally will be hit with a bill of approximately £15m unless money raised through landfill tax is returned to councils as promised and invested in refuse and recycling facilities.”

“There has been no indication from the Government as to how this money is going to be given back to local authorities. Ministers haven't even told local authorities how much money has been raised so far.”

“The Government is in effect using this as a ‘stealth tax'.

Ann Bridson , Liberal Democrat Prenton Wa rd councillor and Spokesperson for Environment, said,

“This is further evidence that the Government's so-called commitment to the environment is a sham, and local council tax payers will yet again be left to pick up the bill.”

The Liberal Democrats will be voicing their concerns in a motion to Wirral's Full Council meeting on April 21 and will be calling on the Secretary of State for Environment to honour the Government's pledge to return the money raised through landfill tax to local authorities. Wirral's MPs will also be asked to lobby the Secretary of State on the Council's behalf.

The Liberal Democrat motion follows:

Full Council April 21 2008

Notice of Motion - Liberal Democrat Group
LANDFILL TAX

This Council notes that following this year's dramatic increase in Landfill tax, sending rubbish to landfill could see nearly £70 per household going to Whitehall  over the next three years. Council Tax payers nationally will be hit with a £1.5bn bill and locally with a bill of approximately £15m unless money raised through landfill tax is returned to councils as promised and invested in refuse and recycling facilities.

This Council also notes:

1. that in the 2003 Pre-Budget Report, the Government promised that landfill tax increases from 2005-06 onwards would be revenue neutral to local authorities, and that up to now, money raised from local authorities has indeed been returned to local authorities for investment in refuse and recycling facilities;
2. this has helped boost the country's recycling rate to 30 per cent, and Wirral's to 31%, and it must carry on if we are to continue this trend and avoid European Union fines of £200 million nationally if we do not reduce the amount of waste thrown into landfill;
3. despite repeated requests by the LGA, the Government is yet to demonstrate in a clear and transparent way how over the next three years this money is being given back to local authorities to keep council tax down and build the waste and recycling facilities that the country needs. Ministers have not even told local authorities how much money has been raised so far.

Landfill tax is designed to encourage people to throw away less, but at the moment it is unfairly penalising hard-pressed councils that need all the extra money from the tax returned, to enable them to invest in offering local people better recycling facilities.

This Council therefore:

1. calls on the Secretary of State for the Environment to honour the Government's pledge to return the money raised through landfill tax to local authorities and,
2. requests Wirral's MPs to lobby the Secretary of State on the Council's behalf.

Moved by: Councillor Gill Gardiner
Seconded by: Councillor Ann Bridson