IT WAS good that The Press of February 23 covered the launch of the Liberal Democrat petition to stop Labour’s green bin tax.

Although it was launched only a few days ago, more than 100 local residents have already signed the petition, which can be found at: yorklibdems.org.uk/greenbintax

After closing Beckfield Lane, City of York Council is already missing its recycling targets. As a result, it will not meet its landfill targets, which means yet more landfill tax to pay (at an even higher rate than last year). Labour’s plans are quite simply the wrong policy at the wrong time. And to charge for collecting garden waste risks making a bad situation much worse.

Evidence from other parts of the country shows that introducing a charge for garden waste collections has been hugely unpopular – 40,000 residents in Newcastle returned their bins after their council introduced fees. A similar reaction in York would have a catastrophic impact on landfill and recycling targets, and would make an increase in fly-tipping likely.

Over the coming weeks, we need as many people as possible to sign the petition and send a clear message to Labour: local residents should not be charged for doing the right thing and recycling their garden waste. Let’s work together to stop Labour’s ‘green bin tax’.

Coun Ian Cuthbertson, Liberal Democrat, Haxby and Wigginton, Earswick Chase, York.