The Conservative Group on Wandsworth has today (26th July) slammed the Labour administration on Wandsworth Borough Council for its sense of “denial” over the roll-out of its new waste collection scheme.

Under the scheme, which was launched in June, separate vehicles now collect rubbish, recycling, food waste and small electricals and come at different times during the day, contributing to greater vehicle traffic and carbon emissions on Wandsworth’s roads.

The new system has resulted in scores of resident complaints about missed rubbish and food waste collections at a time when temperatures in London have soared to the mid-20s, as well as frustration at the poor way the Council has communicated these changes to residents.

A motion tabled by the Conservative Group at a full meeting of Wandsworth Council on Wednesday evening demanding the Council to “undertake and publish a review”[1] of the failure of the scheme was unanimously rejected by Labour on a party-line vote.

Speaking in the Council Chamber, Cllr Judi Gasser, the Labour councillor responsible for the scheme responded to the Conservative Group by saying[2]:

“It’s interesting you’re making such a fuss about this… [It’s] not smelling of a big problem for me… It’s going really well so far.”

Cllr Aled Richards-Jones, the Conservative Leader of the Opposition on Wandsworth Council said:

“It’s clear the Labour administration is in denial when it comes to the botched launch of its new waste scheme. They’ve stopped listening to residents.

“For Cllr Gasser to glibly claim she isn’t “smelling a big problem” as scores of residents see their rubbish fester in the summer sun is rather insulting.

“The new collection contract has resulted in widespread missed collections, unannounced changes to collection times, higher air pollution from waste vehicles and massive disruption to residents.

“Labour needs to urgently lay out a plan to tell residents when they will expect to see improvements in the service and how they intend to hold the contractor to account for their failure to deliver”.