More cash to keep weekly bin collection?
DEPUTY Prime Minister Nick Clegg claims Sheffield Council chiefs could receive more money than they think from a Government fund to protect weekly bin collections.
Hallam MP Mr Clegg has queried why the council’s Labour administration has not applied for a share of a £250 million national cashpot announced by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles.
Ruling city councillors say money from the fund will not be available until October – too late to incorporate in this year’s budget – and that Sheffield would probably receive only a maximum one per cent of the total, spread over three years.
Switching to fortnightly bin collections would save £2.4 million a year, while Mr Pickles’ fund would provide just £800,000 to £900,000 per year, Labour says.
Mr Clegg said: “They don’t appear to want to make a bid for a share of this funding. Sheffield Council is entitled to apply.
“It doesn’t make sense to turn your back on support like this and press ahead with a change to fortnightly bin collections that is going to be inconvenient to households and will cost money to explain.
“Unlike with normal funding announcements, where Sheffield typically gets one per cent of the national total, it is not certain all councils will apply – so there may be more available for Sheffield than Labour anticipates.”
Mr Clegg said the council is ‘unlikely to save a penny over the next year’ from fortnightly collections as there will be the £400,000 cost of communication with households plus fees of up to £1 million to Veolia and the fact the change is not coming in immediately.
Ann Bentley, secretary of Lower Wincobank Tenants’ and Residents’ Association, who is opposed to the bin change, said: “I don’t think the council should be going to fortnightly collections anyway – it will cause large problems and they should find other savings elsewhere.
“They should also apply for a share of the funding to help preserve the service.”
But Julie Dore, Sheffield Council leader, said: “It is true savings we will make in the first year of alternate weekly waste and recycling collections will be smaller due to the delay in starting.
“But after that the £2.4 million will be saved every year. Nick Clegg is being disingenuous about this issue. Does he know Sheffield will get a larger share of money? To say Sheffield ‘may’ receive some extra is not good enough. We need to plan our budget.”
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 17 comments to this article
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robhadfield
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:24 PMAgain Labour are in Sheffield and again they make poor choices and decide to blame everyone else. In the end I doubt that any money will be saved and in years to come it will be someone else fault why the council hasn't saved mo.et, but of course not Labours fault! And people complain about this service been changed to fortnightly, I for one can stand proud and say I did not play any part in this decision! But can u? After it is Labour who the people of Sheffield voted in and is of your own doing!
robhadfield
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:23 PMAgain Labour are in Sheffield and again they make poor choices and decide to blame everyone else. In the end I doubt that any money will be saved and in years to come it will be someone else fault why the council hasn't saved mo.et, but of course not Labours fault! And people complain about this service been changed to fortnightly, I for one can stand proud and say I did not play any part in this decision! But can u? After it is Labour who the people of Sheffield voted in and is of your own doing!
seenitall
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 04:37 PMAs a matter of record all the details and an application form to apply for a share in the £250 million is online on the Local Government website....Come on Julie don't let us down...kick some but!
Sir Taxedalot
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 04:18 PM#5 I assume you are talking about that Chatsworth dwelling, champagne swilling, Rupert Murdoch flunky, man of the people David Blunkett.
Blue-Stratos
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 02:49 PMFor Heavens sake Mrs Dore, even if the money does'nt become available whilst October Im sure the Council can just move certain Council budgets around, to find money like you've just given 2.5 million to parkhiil flats. Labour seem hell bent on refusing this money, just to justify moving to fornightly bin collections. What about the bin mens jobs it will save, have the Council no heart ? I thought Labour wanted to save jobs not cut them, bite the bullet and take the money, dont be silly this will ultimately save tax payers hard earned money.
The Cat
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 02:37 PMsquirrel550, and just exactly WHY do you think that we, in Rotherham do NOT have overflowing bins ??? because we have to take our waste to the dump it site twice a week, the town would stink to high heaven otherwise and you know it mate,
seenitall
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 02:32 PMIn case the news hasn't reached the icy wastes of Archangel yet, the word is we have known for a long time that Clegg has sold his Sheffield property....and we aren't all that bothered. What concerns us is the news that the Labour Party won't consider either its taxpayers or the offer of extra Government money. Is that verging on the reckless?
Squirrel550
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 02:32 PMOh please!! Rotherham has a fortnightly black bin collection alternating with a fortnightly recycling collection. People just need to be educated to recycle more. None of our bins are ever overflowing.
Ivan Eddake
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:46 PMYou can all sleep soundly in your beds knowing that the city is in the safe hands of Comrade Dore. The only pity is that my safe hands aren't round her throat.
kayte
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:51 PMListen up Dozy Dore - I will say this only once. The majority of Sheffield counciltaxpayers WANT A WEEKLY BLACK BIN COLLECTION! Either makes savings elsewhere or look to saving your skin come election time! Capiche?
pellin
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:45 PMit costs sheffield people 558 pounds per Day to keep the lord mayor over a million per year we dont need a mayor sack the mayor save the service
Archangel
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:33 PMNick Clegg who will abandon any principle to suck up to his Tory pals ought to keep quiet, does he actually live in Sheffield anymore, as in reside here, school his kids here, or is he in his grace and favour residence in London? Come on Star, dig a little.
sheffmike
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:19 PMpost 4 I would remind you that it was the previous Lib-Dem administaration that concluded the contract with Veola. Can we believe a man who before the general election signed up to no increase in uni fees and then promptly abandoned this as well as many other promises to get a job in Government. As far as I know this would be for one year only and would still require savings to be made,.
seenitall
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 11:10 AMThe Council allows Veolia to run rough shod over them....Largely because of the ridiculous 30 year contract our Chief Executive and his cabal recommended. Veolia only recycle the easy bits that almost any local charity group could organise. Politically, Labour is being its usual doctrinaire self by ensuring we all suffer so they can blame the Government even though politically awkward £ grants are available.
ISeeEverything
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 10:38 AMStrange, isn't it? Normally, when there's money being handed out, the socialists who have run this Council for far too many years are at the front of the queue.
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