Wasted Opportunity - How CDC's Cabinet is throwing your money out with the rubbish

8.15.00am GMT Thu 19th Nov 2009

Cotswold District Council has the most expensive waste service in the region, new figures show today.

A survey of 15 councils covering Gloucestershire and surrounding areas has revealed that CDC is top of the league when it comes to cost per household.

Lib Dem leader on CDC, Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley), announced the staggering figures today ahead of a Cabinet meeting tomorrow when the costs of the waste service are to be discussed.

"Once you unwrap this scheme you find the incredible costs that have lumbered us in the Cotswolds with the highest charges in Gloucestershire," he said.

"We pay £73 per household while just a few miles away in Cheltenham they are paying £38 - the public has a right to feel short changed and to be asking just what CDC's administration is doing with public funds."

Cllr Hodgkinson is appalled at the poor value for money which Cotswolds taxpayers are getting: He added: "Whilst we all want high recycling rates, CDC's waste service is needlessly over-priced and the public deserves to know the full costs and just how poorly we rate around the country. This scheme was pushed through by the Tory majority and is just yet more evidence of the danger of one party controlling local affairs - the public loses out."

The research, conducted by the Lib Dems, shows that Cotswolds residents not only pay the highest price per household anywhere locally but now have to endure a no doorstep plastics recycling policy and two weekly bin collections instigated by the Conservative administration.

"The public has yet again been short changed. People want to recycle their plastics which they can do in other areas," said Cllr Hodgkinson. "I pledge to negotiate a tough, cheaper contract with a waste supplier if we control the council after 2011. For us to have the highest-priced waste service in the county is both a drain on funds and highly embarrassing."

The link below takes you to the full league table of councils in our region, ranked by cost of waste service per household (latest figures for all councils) :

Related Link:

[Full table of costs]