A councillor has ruled out holding a meeting in public to investigate issues surrounding why homes in Lichfield and Burntwood were given new recycling bags smaller than they should have been.
Lichfield District Council has admitted that the new bags are a third smaller than the 81-litres they had been expecting.
But with the bags already distributed, the local authority has said people will need to begin using them anyway amidst a backlash from residents who say they have been full of paper and card within days.
Cllr Steve Norman, leader of the Labour opposition group, had called for a task group meeting on the issue to be held in public to avoid adding to “the suspicions of residents”.
But Cllr David Leytham, chair of the council’s overview and scrutiny committee, has ruled out such a move.
In a response to Cllr Norman, he said:
“After discussions, I accepted that the best way to deal with the blue bag affair is to have a full briefing, establish the facts, give them some thought and then decide which way scrutiny will go.
“I want to ensure we have a clear starting point before we investigate what Lichfield District Council has done well and not so well.
“I cannot agree to public meetings because at some stage we are bound to explore contractual issues, which I am sure you will agree, should not be made public.
“The briefing will be online to attract a good attendance.”
Cllr David Leytham, Lichfield District Council
Cllr Norman said he was disappointed by the decision:
“I think it’s a missed opportunity to show members and the public the independence and non party-political nature of scrutiny over the blue bags issue.”
Cllr Steve Norman, Lichfield District Council has
