Recycling - letter to Oxford Mail (Oxford West and Abingdon Liberal Democrats)

Oxford West and Abingdon Liberal Democrats <info@oxwablibdems.org.uk>

Recycling - letter to Oxford Mail

January 17, 2007 2:15 PM

n your last issue John Tanner criticised Cllr. Jean Fooks for taking credit for the improved recycling rates, when residents are the real heroes. Yet she began the letter he criticises (5th January 2007) by saying "I should like to thank residents" and made no claims of glory for her or her party. We now know an extra 800 tonnes of waste have been diverted from landfill already.

Can this be the same John Tanner, who, just months ago, wanted everyone to know he had backed the bi-weekly collection scheme as Labour's recycling chief? The scheme has - thankfully - been relaxed from his original ideas. He vowed to fine residents who got it wrong and had no contingency to give bags to people who couldn't cope with a wheelie bin.

It is nothing short of hypocrisy for John to attack the scheme as inflexible, when it has already been ameliorated and improved from his original intentions. Residents' understandable irritation where mistakes have been made in setting up the new scheme will not be salved by his partisanship. He is a quick-witted and personable chap, but his flip-flopping on this issue can only be described as rubbish.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Huzzey

City Councillor for Holywell ward