Residents Must be Given a Choice on Recycling say Lib Dems as County Council Prepares to Take Orange Bags Away for Good

6.01.00pm GMT Fri 4th Jan 2008

Many local residents are simply unable to use an extra bin for recycling and must be given a choice between an extra bin or bags say Lib Dems

Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats are calling on the Borough Council to step in and ensure residents are given a choice of an extra bin or bags for recycling in the wake of the County Council's reckless decision to withdraw the orange recycling bags.

Bedford Borough Liberal Group Leader Cllr Headley, who on Wednesday will call on the Mayor and his Cabinet to act to provide bags for residents where required, said:

"A bin-only recycling scheme is utterly unsuitable for many people living in blocks of flats or densely-populated areas, yet the county council has recklessly decided to withdraw bags completely. Many local residents will now be left with no choice but to stop recycling altogether if they do not have the option of using bags instead of a bin.'

"Withdrawing the bags is complete madness when instead we should be making the scheme as convenient as possible for people in order to increase recycling overall. That is why we are calling on the borough council to step in to ensure that residents are given a choice of an extra bin or bags for recycling."

"It is a shame that the two councils don't seem to be able to work together for local residents on this important issue."