Lib Dems hit 47% recycling rate

12.00.00pm GMT Mon 30th Nov 2009

Greg Stone, Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman for Newcastle East, has commended the performance of Newcastle city council in increasing the city's recycling rate to 47% in the first half of 2009, a jump from 36% in 2008 and a far cry from the pitiful 3.5% rate achieved under the previous Labour controlled city council administration.

Greg said "The improvement in our rate has been widely noticed, and helped us to be named the UK's most sustainable city earlier this month. The Lib Dem administration has made recycling a priority issue and have introduced a more effective and more popular system making it much easier for people to use. The next step is to ensure that every household that needs one has access to a "brown bin" for garden waste, and I will continue to push for this to be achieved"

"I am also delighted that the Lib Dems are committed to keeping weekly collections, but am concerned that senior Labour councillor Sir Jeremy Beecham has produced policy proposals calling for consideration of fortnightly collections. This is further proof that Labour cannot be trusted on recycling, and that only the Lib Dems are committed to delivering real improvements."