Labour need to put up or shut up on waste issue

11.33.51am GMT Wed 13th Dec 2006

Labour councillors are being challenged to offer more than empty criticism to Leeds City Council's policy on waste.

The policy is the subject of a debate at a meeting of full council on Wednesday 13th December where opposition members have tabled a motion opposing measures in the waste strategy that was approved last month.

Cllr Steve Smith, executive member with responsibility for waste management, claimed that the opposition's failure to present any alternative proposal meant that their criticism rang hollow.

Cllr Smith said:

"The waste solution is the result of months of consultation with individuals and groups from all over Leeds on what to do with our waste.

"All the options have been considered extensively and we have consulted with the public and councillors from all parties at every stage in the process. The consultation results were decisively in favour of energy from waste as the way to deal with the waste we can't reduce, re-use or recycle.

"All alternatives to the council's policy will result in more waste being sent to landfill. If we are to avoid £270 million in landfill fines we have to drastically reduce the amount of waste we send there.

"Labour have nothing to offer but hot air on this issue. They have been involved at every stage of the waste solution process, yet have put forward precisely nothing by way of alternative proposals."