6% Increase in Councillor’s Allowances but 100% Decrease in Brown Bin Collections Over Christmas

Many residents across Sefton will have noticed that the usual brown bin collection service has not been provided over the Christmas holidays. Conservative Group Leader on Sefton Council, Mike Prendergast, has criticised the decision to not provide the service and the failure to adequately communicate the decision to local residents.

Councillor Prendergast said, “The decision taken by Labour run Sefton Council to not provide a brown bin collection service over the Christmas holidays, is most definitely the wrong one.

The refuse collection service is one of the most visible council services that Sefton residents pay for through their Council Tax. It is a basic fundamental service, which, at the moment, Labour run, Sefton Council seems unable to fully deliver. There have been numerous problems over the last 12 months.

The decision to suspend the service has also been very poorly communicated to local residents. 

You only have to drive round to realise how many people have no idea that the service has been suspended over the Christmas holidays by looking at the number of brown bins being left at the kerbside.

Since Labour have run Sefton Council, Council Tax has increased by around 38%, and no doubt there will be a further increase by Labour in the New Year when the Council budget is set.

One of the reasons given by Sefton Council for suspending the refuse collection service over Christmas, was to save costs. 

However, this decision comes not long after a recent vote at Sefton Council, where, every single Labour councillor in Sefton, voted to award themselves a more than 6% pay increase, by increasing members allowances. 

Conservatives on Sefton Council were the only political group to vote against the rise. We don’t think that councillors allowances should be prioritised over the delivery of vital services.

Sefton residents will surely think it’s a better use of resources for there to be a full waste collection service over the Christmas holidays, rather than Labour councillors, voting to award themselves increases in their own allowances.

If they can find the money to give themselves a pay rise, why can’t they find the money to deliver a full waste collection service over Christmas?”