Is the heart of easyCouncil to be found in San Francisco?

A recent article in The Times by Barnet Council leader Cllr Mike Freer said:

We could follow the lead of San Francisco. Waste disposal costs there are separate from other city taxes: residents who generate less waste get a rebate. Equally, if someone wants to pay the council to spend time sorting out their individual recycling items, they could pay us to do so.

San Francisco has a Democrat Mayor Gavin Newsom and many would consider the extent of its eco targets startling and rather draconian - often using compulsion. They have a "zero waste" target. But it is the success of the incentives aspect that is likely to appeal to British Conservative councillors grappling with the huge cost of disposing of waste in landfill.

> From Saturday: A three minute guide to the easyCouncil model