The Labour-run City Council is now charging households £35 to collect our garden waste. We'll eventually be provided with a wheelie bin (which will hold around three of the current sacks) and we won't be allowed to put out any extra. To put out more than this, we'll be required to buy more wheelie bins. All of these new bins will have a microchip inside, giving residents cause for concern that the council could in theory, snoop on what's inside our bins.
While charging residents to collect green waste, failing to stand up for people who work hard, save and do the right thing, they've chosen to protect:
- £1.7 million for taxpayer funded Trade Union offices
- £2 million for Euopean and Equalities Officers
- £3.8 million per year on council "policy officers"
- £37 million on council employee sick days
- £63 million on wheelie bins
Rachel Maclean, Prospective Conservative MP for Birmingham Northfield (pictured above) expressed her concerns by saying: "Saving less than 5% from all these items would mean the council could scrap the garden tax, bring back bin bags and restore street cleaning to our suburbs.
"The message I get from listening to other local residents, is the same, time and time again. We don't feel listened to, we don't feel the council reacts to our concerns and we don't feel like we get value for money from Birmingham City Council."