B&NES Council Leader, Kevin Guy, has announced that the Lib Dem administration is putting on hold the proposed charges for rubble, plasterboard and tyres at recycling centres.

Speaking at the first in-person meeting of B&NES Cabinet since February 2020, Councillor Guy said: “As Leader, I know how important it is that we listen to residents and that we respond swiftly to changes in circumstance.

“Two things have changed happened since the decision was made to introduce charges for rubble etc at recycling centres.

“First, I was elected Leader and I reaffirmed that we are a listening council. Cllr Wood and I have listened to local residents and parish councils who say they are concerned about the unintended consequences of these charges.

“Second, circumstances have changed. The Government have launched a consultation about consistency in recycling services in England.

“Bringing in charges now, only to change them later following Government instruction, would be confusing for residents and would add to our officers’ administrative burdens. It would make no sense. And I’m a common sense kind of guy.

“That’s why I am announcing today that we are putting on hold the charges for rubble, plasterboard and tyres at recycling

centres.

“We will look again at how to make alternatives savings to balance the Council’s budget. As Liberal Democrats, we pride ourselves on being the only party that balances the Council’s books every year.

“I’m pleased the Government is seriously looking at new rules that would mean a ‘win-win’ for council taxpayers and DIY-ers whilst helping us deliver our

recycling and climate emergency commitments.

“It’s time we started thinking differently about who pays for recycling. We need new funding streams so that council taxpayers in areas such as ours which prioritise recycling of a wide range of materials don’t lose out.

“So, we will also be lobbying central Government for new legislation so that funding to recycle these materials comes from producers, rather than council taxpayers.

“There is strength in listening to different views, there is wisdom in changing our mind when circumstances change, there is integrity in balancing our books, and there’s common sense in the pause to charging we are announcing.”

The changes were due to come in on Monday this week and would have seen residents pay £2 to dispose of a bag of rubble, £4 for a bag of plasterboard and £3.50 for car tyres.

Both residents and Councillors have spoken out about the halting of recycling charges, raising concerns about a possible increase in fly-tipping as a consequence and the cost to the Council of clearing it up. Ward Councillor for Paulton, Labour’s Grant Johnson, told The Journal: “It is obviously fantastic to see these backward looking and thoughtless charges put on hold by the administration, after Labour’s online campaign to see the policy reversed.

“I heard from so many residents who were saying two things: 1. This will lead to more fly-tipping and 2. Don’t we already pay for this service as part of our Council Tax?

“I agreed with everyone that made these very valid arguments, which is why we were putting pressure on the cabinet to reverse the decision. The Leader of the Council said that charges for waste would be confusing for residents, but I think that does them an injustice. What this cabinet needs to understand is that we need to think about residents first, rather than blaming them for the Lib Dem administration’s half-baked ideas.

“The dramatic change in direction just four days before the charges were due to be introduced also shows a Council Cabinet that is in disarray, with no clear direction or leadership. It really is an embarrassing time to be a Liberal Democrat in Bath and North East Somerset.”