Broxbourne Council rations family to 80 bags of rubbish a year

The Daily Mail splashes this morning on a Conservative council (a Conservative council) rationing families to 80 bags of rubbish a year. Broxbourne are already doing this and another Conservative council - Wokingham - is planning to follow. Those that generate more rubbish than their quota have to buy extra bags (which will be "deterred") or drive with their rubbish to the municipal tip.

Doretta Cocks, of the Campaign for Weekly Waste Collections, said:

"This is rationing. Some councils with fortnightly collections and wheelie bins are already doing it by reducing the size of their wheelie bins.

"They must think we are idiots. How can they claim to be concerned for the environment when they tell people to drive to the local tip?

"And what do you do if you don’t have a car? Walk?’   

Grant Shapps, Local Government Minister, said:

"If councils think they can hammer residents with stealth taxes through this sneaky route, the Government is prepared to take whatever steps necessary to protect taxpayers’ interests."