Waste Strategy in Chaos: Findlay Must Go

2.11.43pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 8th Mar 2007

David Rendel, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for West Berkshire, has today called for the resignation of Geoff Findlay as cabinet member for Environment and Public Protection.

"Following last night's refusal of planning permission for housing on the current waste disposal site off Pinchington Lane, the Council's Waste Disposal Strategy is now in chaos", said Mr Rendel. "Those of us who attended the New Greenham Park public meeting about Abbotswood heard Geoff Findlay say that the Conservative administration had not considered any alternative to Abbotswood as a replacement for the Pinchington Lane site. Now that permission to turn the current site into a housing estate has been turned down, the sheer stupidity of the decision not to have a fall-back position has been made abundantly obvious.

"The introduction of a new waste management strategy has already been delayed and delayed by the Conservative administration. This news means months, if not years, of further delay. Meanwhile residents are fuming at the failure of the Council to introduce doorstep recycling of card and plastics.

"As the man responsible for the failure of the new strategy, Geoff Findlay has to take responsibility for the chaos which has ensued.

"He should resign at once."