Mark Garnier, responding to enquiries from Wyre Forest residents, has today confirmed that the Conservative Party is totally opposed to a suggested charge levied on domestic waste. Policy review papers from Downing Street have advocated the introduction of charging for domestic waste collection.
David Milliband, as Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has also floated the idea and it has been suggested that the "bin tax" would equate to an extra £120 per household per year.
Mark Garnier commented: "Under the Labour Government, council tax has soared by a staggering 84% nationally and by nearly 100% in Wyre Forest. The suggested bin tax is just another stealth tax on top of that.
"This tax would be regressive as it will hit less well off families the most. It is hard to see how it will be able to fit within the already highly complex regime of council tax benefit.
"Charging for rubbish by volume is also likely to lead to illegal fly tipping and burning as people try to avoid paying the charge for any extra rubbish they dispose of.
"Finally, there would be a cost to councils for monitoring how much waste people dispose of and this would be an inefficient use of tax payer's money.
"Wyre Forest District Council is already leading the way in Worcestershire in terms of recycling. This idea by the Labour Government is just not fair."