The leader of Erewash Borough Council has responded after Erewash Conservative MP Maggie Throup pledged to fight back against the introduction of a new so called "Bin Tax" from Spring next year, by the now Labour-controlled authority.
In what a statement described as "a fresh blow to household budgets", she referred to documents published on the Borough Council’s website revealing how the Labour-led Executive Committee is preparing to approve proposals to charge residents an extra £37.00 every year for the Council’s garden waste collection service from April 2024.
The new charges, described by the MP's office as a 'stealth tax' will be levied on top of and in addition to the Council Tax, which, she suggested, "...looks almost certain to rise at the same time and which would represent a 17.8 per cent rise on an average Band D property."
Ms Throup has launched a public petition, calling on Labour to immediately reverse their decision and keep the Borough Council’s brown bin service free.
She said: “At a time when Labour is making unprecedented cuts to public services right across Erewash by withdrawing concurrent grant funding from our Parish Councils, closing Sandiacre Friesland Sports Centre and axing household recycling centres in Long Eaton, this decision will only add to the financial pressure on households.
“The new Bin Tax not only goes against the spirit of Labour’s manifesto, but it also hits the poorest hardest and could lead to a massive increase in fly-tipping across our towns and villages.
“If Labour in Erewash are prepared to break with their promises so soon after the Local Elections, no doubt local residents will now be questioning what else Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is secretly plotting to charge us all extra for if they were to win a General Election?”
Backing Maggie’s petition, Conservative Group Leader of Erewash Borough Council, Cllr. Wayne Major said: “As we made clear at the Local Elections in May, the Erewash Conservative Council Group remains committed to providing residents with a free garden waste collection service, something we were proud to provide whilst in Office.
“Not only do free Brown Bins make financial sense in terms of the savings the Borough Council makes from deterring fly-tipping and preventing the contamination of general household waste, the service also greatly assists many vulnerable and elderly residents who cannot readily access the County Council’s refuse and recycling centre in Ilkeston.
“We are therefore pleased to support Maggie’s campaign and join her in calling on Labour to axe their Bin Tax.”
Erewash Sound has approached Erewash Borough Council for a formal response to Ms Throup's statement. Councillor James Dawson, leader of the authority said: "We are having to look at what options are available, because of the mess left by the previous administration, which has left us very near to the minimum legal amount in reserves, as well as the £1million pound gap in the budget”