Councillor says communication on roll out of new recycling bags in Lichfield and Burntwood was not good enough

A councillor says communication on the roll out of new recycling bags in Lichfield and Burntwood was not good enough.

It comes after a report to Lichfield District Council’s overview and scrutiny committee highlighted issues that dogged the initial introduction of the new dual stream recycling collections.

The change saw households required to separate card and paper from other recyclables – but the switch saw problems with the size of bags and a number of missed collections.

Cllr Steve Norman, leader of the Labour opposition group and vice chair of the committee, said the issues highlighted in the review about communication problems had not come as a surprise.

“I have raised the issue of communications at every meeting and on Lichfield Live because I was concerned.

“We were losing the public’s confidence in the recycling service and the case wasn’t being made for the need to separate paper and card from the plastics and glass.”

Cllr Steve Norman, Lichfield District Council

Cllr Norman added that he hoped senior members of the council’s leadership team would attend the scrutiny committee meeting in the wake of the review.

“While the chief executive is the author of the report it will be interesting to see if the ;eader will attend to answer questions. 

“At the confidential meeting held to inform members of the blue bag problems, Cllr Doug Pullen told members that he was responsible for communications, though it was Cllr Ashley Yeates, as cabinet member responsible for the waste service, who resigned shortly afterwards.”

Cllr Steve Norman, Lichfield District Council

The meeting of the overview and scrutiny committee will take place on 15th September.