WASTE CONTRACT FIASCO - Cllr Reason's "answers" to Labour Questions

Sunday, 6 December 2009

Tim Swift, leader of the Labour group on Calderdale Council, posed eight questions to Cllr Graham Reason last week. The Hebden Bridge Web now has possession of the Cllr Reason's responses, which are very patchy.

In spite of the continued public support for Kerbside and the the public fiasco over the award of the waste contract to SITA, Cllr Reason largely avoids giving full and frank answers to the questions posed.

To most questions, he says he is unable to provide the information. For example, he is unable to tell voters which councillors took the decision to go for alternatively weekly collections.

To the simple question, on how many occasions was the waste contract discussed at the Leadership group between April 2007 and the award of the contract, Cllr Reason said that the Leader of the Council is not "disposed to responding to this request".

See all eight questions with Cllr Reason's "answers".

WASTE CONTRACT FIASCO - Labour group demand further answers

Tuesday, 1 December 2009

Calderdale Council Labour group will be using the full Council meeting on Wednesday to seek further answers over the fiasco around the award of the waste contract to SITA.

Labour group leader Cllr Tim Swift has tabled a list of eight questions to the portfolio holder, Cllr Graham Reason, seeking further information which was not included in the independent report published in late September.
The questions include

• Information about the cost difference between the Sita contract and the lower cost options identified in the report;


• When senior members became aware of the plans to ask for further contract prices;


• When did leading Conservative councillors decide that the introduction of alternate weekly collections would be part of the contract;


• What meetings were attended by Cllr Reason during the contract evaluation phase; and


• How many times the so-called “leadership group” (the Conservative Cabinet meeting behind closed doors) discussed the waste contract.

Cllr Swift told the Hebden Bridge Web: “There is no doubt that the problems with the waste contract have created a huge loss of public confidence in the Council.

“The Conservative leadership appear to hope that, now the independent report has been published, people will forget about it and we can just move on. They are wrong. Many people in Calderdale feel angry and let down by the Council over this issue. They want to know that they have been given all the facts; they want to know that the Council really has learned the lessons, and they want to know that those responsible have been held accountable. These questions are another opportunity for the Conservatives to respond positively to these concerns.”

See also

Hebweb News: Calderdale criticised by report into Council handling of contracts and deals with SITA (Sept 2009)

Hebweb News: Kerbside's Paul Brannigan to fight election

Hebweb News: Wheelie bins are on their way

Hebweb Forum - Wheelie Bins

Wheelie Bin database - enter your postcode and see if you will be receiving one.

Hebweb News: Calderdale/SITA cut refuse collections to once a fortnight

Kerbside website

www.recycleforcalderdale.org

Hebweb News: Kerbside Urges firm action from local politicians (Jan 09)

Hebweb News: Talks break down: Sita reject Kerbside (Dec 08)

Hebweb Forum - Kerbside, what next?

Hebweb News: Kerbside: the gloves are off - report of public meeting of 29th November (Nov 09)

Hebweb Forum - Barbara Green's plea to write to Hazel Blears

Hebweb News: Halifax demonstration (July 2008)