Government plans to introduce new rubbish taxes, on top of council tax, were criticised this week by Serena Croad, Leader of the Conservative Group on Malvern Hills District Council. It has been revealed that Downing Street is actively considering introducing additional 'user charges' for household rubbish collection.
- Under the clandestine plans for new bin taxes, hidden microchips will be used to assist weighing the contents of each household's rubbish bin and then allow the town hall to levy a weekly or monthly bill based on its weight. Locks would have to be installed on every bin, and wheelie bins would be compulsory.
- New municipal 'bin inspectors' would be employed to police the system, fining those who do not use their wheelie bins or who leave rubbish bags outside the bin.
- The Keep Britain Tidy Campaign has warned that rubbish taxes would cause a surge in fly-tipping, with families being hit the hardest. Such taxes are also expected to cause a surge in 'backyard burning'; in the Republic of Ireland where such controversial taxes have already been introduced, one in ten households now burn their rubbish in their back garden to avoid paying, filling the air with toxic chemicals.
Serena Croad remarked,
"In Malvern Hills, we use a system of coloured plastic bags to encourage recycling and so far we have reached our targets. While this is to be encouraged, the increase in the price of oil will result in a £46 thousand boost to the annual £140 thousand cost of plastic bags in the coming year."
"There is already massive public resentment at the way working families and pensioners are being punished by punitive levels of council tax - thanks to the Labour Government. If the Government forces a switch to wheelie bins to weigh rubbish, every household in Worcestershire will face the prospect of new rubbish taxes on top. I fear poorest families will be hit the hardest.
"Such bin taxes threaten to damage the local environment by causing a surge in fly-tipping and backyard burning in local neighbourhoods. No-one believes that Gordon Brown would cut council taxes if top-up charges were introduced. This threatens to become yet another Labour stealth tax."