Councillor describes Lib Dem litter claims as "misleading" (From Haringey Independent)

Haringey Councillor describes Lib Dem litter claims as "misleading"

3:40pm Thursday 27th September 2012 in News By Emma Innes

Cllr Wilson (right) cleaning the streets with volunteers

A Haringey Council cabinet member has described Lib Dem claims that litter amounts have soared as “misleading”.

Cllr Canver, cabinet member for the environment, has refuted Liberal Democrat claims on the basis that they related to only one inspection.

Cllr Canver said: “Comparing the results of just one inspection this year with the whole of last year’s is misleading.

“It is inappropriate to attribute the findings of this one inspection to the introduction of fortnightly refuse collections, as the inspections are carried out in all types of areas, including parks and recreation land, which have not been affected by new waste collections.”

However, the councillor added: “We are working closely with Veolia to ensure litter scores overall for 2012/2013 will meet our targets.”

Councillor Canver’s comments come after Haringey’s Liberal Democrats claimed that the number of streets in Haringey with “unacceptable” amounts of litter has doubled in the last year.

The Liberal Democrat party claim that new council figures show that one in eight of the borough’s streets are now litter-strewn.

The party says that the percentage of streets with “unacceptable” litter levels has risen from six per cent in summer 2011, to 13 per cent this spring.

This is significantly higher than the council’s target that no more than eight per cent of roads should have “unacceptable” levels of litter.

Haringey Liberal Democrats argue that this sudden leap in litter levels is caused by the Council's switch to fortnightly waste collections, which has resulted in overflowing bins in many streets. 

Cllr Richard Wilson, Liberal Democrat, said: "Haringey Labour's decision to halve bin collections seems to have resulted in a massive surge in street litter from overflowing wheelie bins. 

“It is completely unacceptable that one in eight roads in our borough are now blighted with litter.  Residents should not have to put up with this unhygienic mess.

"Our Labour councillors just don't seem bothered that our streets are dirty and full of litter.

"The Council needs to take urgent action to clean up our streets."