THE Government should reimburse local taxpayers to the tune of £143,000, according to a local councillor.

Liberal Democrat Andrew Waller, the executive member for neighbourhood services on City of York Council, is calling on his opposite number in the authority's Labour group to join him in challenging the Government, claiming it has "short-changed" city residents.

According to Coun Waller, under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, the Government owes the council a total of £226,115.95 for the period from August 2005 to March 2007.

Thsi is the amount the council has spent on disposing hazardous electrical equipment like fridges, which contain CFCs, chemicals which can harm the environment.

But the Government is only planning to give the council £82,234.50 - a shortfall of £143,881.45.

The figures show that for August 2005 to May 2006, the council claimed a total of £116,469.49, but received nothing from the Government.

Then, from June 2006 to March 2007, they claimed £109,646.46, but will receive a grant of just £82,234.50.

Coun Waller said: "Once again the council's recycling budget is being raided by the Government.

"The Liberal Democrat administration wants to use York council taxpayers' money to invest in more recycling services.

"This is in addition to the fact that York residents have paid £9 million more in Landfill Tax than we have received back in recycling grants from the Government.

"I will stand up for residents rather than stand by and let the Government land them with someone else's costs.

"I challenge the Labour neighbourhoods spokesman to join with me in writing to the Government to demand the full reimbursement of the costs of this new legislation."

But Coun Ruth Potter, Coun Waller's opposite number, said the Waste and Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive had been introduced to make producers and distributors of electrical goods take back used items and pay for the cost of their disposal, instead of asking council taxpayers to foot the bill.

She said: "This has to be a sensible course of action, that will prevent these items being dumped on our streets.

"As usual Coun Waller is misleading the residents of York.

"Why hasn't he written to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to ask them to provide the reasons why there is no grant due for the period August 2005 to May 2006, or why there is a difference in the amount claimed for June 2006 to March 2007.

"I am happy to write on behalf of the council to the DTI to find out this information."