Council Rubbish: Shepway Lib Dems uncover £500,000 loss on recycling

Questions asked by the Lib Dems to Tory run Shepway Council have revealed that the new recycling scheme has broken its budget by more than £500,000. The majority of the losses are due to the withdrawal of the collection vehicles and reduced income from the recycling being collected together rather than separated at kerbside.

With the kerbside sorting trucks still off the road, the Lib Dems fear that this loss will grow, with the council now needing to look at ways of increasing revenue, including council tax increases and introducing charges for other services - possibly including charging for previously free car parking. There are also already moves to cut council spending and reduce services.

The Herald reports that each council department has already been told to make cutbacks.

Deputy Lib Dem Group leader Lynne Beaumont is furious. She says:

"This recycling chaos is due to the mismanagement of the scheme by the Council's leadership. The cabinet did not listen to officers' recommendations on the scheme, and we will all end up paying for it.

"They should have picked one area and done a thorough trial, rather than just using a few families.

"Also people should have been given a lot more information on the scheme - however the leaflet distribution was stopped for the General Election."