Opposition Plaid Cymru councillors will question the ruling Labour group over its plans to reintroduce free bulk waste collections at the council’s showdown budget meeting on Wednesday.
The Plaid group has claimed the £100,000 earmarked to bring free collections back would be better spent on employing more staff to tackle litter and dog fouling.
Labour has hit back at the claims and called Plaid “clueless” as they plan to increase council tax by 2.35% at Wednesday’s meeting.
Cllr Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly County Borough Council, speaking before the council’s budget meeting on Wednesday said: “Labour has taken a conscious decision to put up council tax by 2.35% but there were alternatives available to them.
“The Plaid group had already made provision for savings of £5.2m which Labour has benefited from. In addition, the council has received an additional £500,000 into the coffers as a result of income from additional new properties in the county borough. How much higher would Labour have put up council tax without this funding?
“Labour prefers to spend its money on projects such as the huge price hike for the highest paid officers, reopening Aberbargoed Library and £100,000 on free bulky waste collections rather than helping families and individuals who are already struggling to pay household bills. The last thing people want at this time is higher council tax bills but Labour has made that choice to put them up when they could have taken a different course without damaging existing services.
“I suppose with Labour’s record of pushing up council tax when they were last in control of this authority it should come as no surprise. Labour costs you more.”
Caerphilly Council Leader Cllr Harry Andrews said the 2.35% rise would safeguard council services and keep his party’s manifesto pledge of scrapping the bulk waste charges and ploughing £100,000 in youth services.
He said: “Caerphilly’s council tax increase will be less than the average Welsh councils’ rise of 2.83%, and will match the 2013/14 rise planned by the previous Plaid Cymru administration”.
Caerphilly Council Deputy Leader Keith Reynolds said: “It’s time Cllr Mann was straight with the people of Caerphilly County Borough. A council tax freeze in 2013/14 will reduce Caerphilly Council’s income by £1.7 million. Which council services would Plaid Cymru cut to balance the books? How many council workers would they sack?”
Cllr Reynolds added: “Now the Nationalists are demanding that we break our election pledge to abolish the charges they imposed on bulk waste collection. They know their charges are unpopular and they don’t want us reminding residents how inept their administration was.
“But we’re determined to honour our pledge. And, despite Plaid Cymru’s clueless claims, we can do this and continue to deliver effective anti-litter and anti-dog fouling services.”
Plaid had scrapped the free bulk waste collection service when it was in power. The collection of between one and three bulky household items, such as sofas has incurred a £15 charge while the collection of between four and six items is £20.
Councillor Lyn Ackerman, former Plaid Cabinet member for public services, said: “When we talk to residents they tell us that keeping the streets clean and tackling dog fouling are their top priorities.
“Rather than spending £100,000 on re-introducing the service, the council would be far better taking on at least three enforcement officers covering litter and dog fouling. That would have much more impact with fines handed out for those that break the rules.
“Also Labour’s policy locally could have an impact on the recycling of furniture at a time when the Welsh Government’s theme is to reduce, reuse and recycle.”
Councillor Mann added that no evidence had been presented showing that a charge had increased fly tipping.